Director and writer Rian Johnson has a group of friends he loves to put in his projects. It makes seeing them a special experience. One of those friends is a beloved actor and his Poker Face shout out was delightful.
Since the start of Johnson’s career, he’s tried to include two of his friends in everything that he’s done. We’ve seen Noah Segan in Johnson’s work, including his debut film Brick which starred another one of his best friends: Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Gordon-Levitt is often a cameo in Johnson’s work and that includes Poker Face, which Segan was in during season 1. Now that season 2 is airing on Peacock, there are more chances for his friends and collaborators to make an appearance.
Like in the premiere episode when Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) finds herself in the midst of quintuplets and their drama. The five sisters, all played by Cynthia Erivo, are dealing with the death of their mother, Norma (Jasmine Guy). But originally, the sisters thought there were only four of them. Amber, Bebe, Cece, and Delia are all former child stars. Each of them took turns starring in Kid Cop, which is how they got away with filming the show at night, and in an off-handed comment, Johnson’s friend and frequent collaborator is mentioned.
The sisters are all talking about actors they’ve worked with and Delia says that their favorite person was Gordon-Levitt. “Kid cop’s first love,” she tells Charlie and it is a nice joke on its own but if you know Johnson’s history with Gordon-Levitt, it makes the nod to the Inception actor that much better.
To be fair, Gordon-Levitt was physically in season 1 of the Peacock series. So he’s already part of the lore. But much like Segan’s role in both Knives Out films, that’s not really a make or break rule for Johnson. So this shout out is a fun little addition to their collaborations.
I love this trio!
Directors working with the same actors again and again happens a lot. Gordon-Levitt himself ended up working with Christopher Nolan multiple times and Nolan is known for working with the same actors repeatedly. But what makes Johnson’s relationship with Segan and Gordon-Levitt so great is that their friendship means the two actors will just pop up briefly in Johnson’s projects just to make sure they’re there.
Gordon-Levitt was the voice of Slowen Lo in The Last Jedi, he was briefly in Glass Onion, and he was supposed to be a bigger role in Knives Out but couldn’t do it. Segan has been in both of the murder mystery films and it is just nice to see these three friends still wanting to do this kind of stuff together.
It feels very film school to have your friends make cameos in your movies and I do love that Johnson, Segan, and Gordon-Levitt have kept that feel alive. It is what made movies like Brick so special and I enjoy every little appearance or shout out that a Johnson film or television show gives us.
(featured image: Peacock)
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