‘Black Mirror': You May Have Missed These Two Big Celebrity Cameos in ‘USS Callister’
(Spoilers ahead for the “Black Mirror” Season 4 episode “USS Callister” on Netflix)
Chances are if you’ve dived into Season 4 of “Black Mirror” on Netflix you’ve already seen the episode “USS Callister,” given that it’s first in the given order on the streaming service. It’s a good one to kick off the season, because it’s a nice mix of the standard “Black Mirror” cynicism with a dose of cathartic triumph over the toxicity of nerddom — an example of the tech nightmares the show loves to present as obstacles rather than just a permanent quagmire of sadness.
Within that story there’s a couple of Easter eggs in the form of actors making surprise appearances: Kirsten Dunst and Aaron Paul, both of whom have a real life connection to “USS Callister” lead actor Jesse Plemons.
Also Read: 'Black Mirror' Star Cristin Milioti on Fighting the Man and the 'Red F-ing Line' in 'USS Callister'
Paul’s cameo you may have picked up on, even though you don’t actually see him — he provides the voice of Gamer691, the first person that the AIs at the center of the episode meet when they break free into the greater universe of Infinity. Paul’s brief appearance is hilarious, as a perfect representation of your stereotypical gamer nerd — when our heroes encounter him in this online game he asks them “are we gonna blow each other or are we gonna trade?” It’s just like real life! Paul, of course, was one of the leads on “Breaking Bad,” a show Plemons also appeared on.
Dunst’s appearance is a bit harder to spot — and when I say “a bit” I really mean “a lot.” Dunst, who is engaged to Plemons, shows up as a background extra for about half a second at the Callister offices in the real world during the middle portion of the episode. EW, which noted this cameo, refers to it as a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance,” and I concur. I’d be very surprised if many people noticed her in the back of the frame.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Black Mirror' Star Cristin Milioti on Fighting the Man and the 'Red F-ing Line' in 'USS Callister'
'Black Mirror' EP Insists 'USS Callister' Is Not a Satire of 'Star Trek'
Here's Why You Hear That One Song Over and Over in 'Black Mirror'
