Apple Wanted Tim Cook to Appear as Himself in Comedy Show 'The Studio'

Apple wanted CEO Tim Cook to make a surprise cameo appearance on Apple TV+'s original comedy show "The Studio"—a request that was declined by the show's creator, Seth Rogen, in favor of an appearance from Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, Business Insider reports.

The Studio Apple TV Plus
Episode eight of "The Studio" includes a brief scene in which Sarandos plays an exaggerated version of himself. The show's fictional studio executive, Matt Remick, encounters Sarandos in a bathroom at the Golden Globes, where Remick expresses confusion over the frequency with which Sarandos is thanked by winners during their acceptance speeches. Sarandos replies that the gratitude is not spontaneous, but required by contract.

Rogen told Business Insider that Apple executives asked if the role could instead be filled by Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ instead. "They asked if we could use ‌Tim Cook‌ instead, and we said no," he said. Sarandos's appearance on a rival platform is notable given the unusual nature of such cross-company collaboration at the executive level.

‌Apple TV‌+ has already ordered a second season of "The Studio" ahead of the series finale, which will be released on May 21.

Popular Stories

Mayday Calendar

Apple Acquisition Hints at Upgraded Calendar App on iOS 19 or Beyond

Friday May 9, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Apple acquired Canadian startup Mayday Labs in April 2024, according to a European Commission listing, spotted by French blog MacGeneration. The acquisition had not received widespread attention from tech publications until now. Apple is legally required to report certain acquisitions to the European Commission, under the terms of the EU's Digital Markets Act. Mayday Labs founder Jeremy...
Nineth iOS 19 Feature

iOS 19 Beta is a Month Away With These New Features for Your iPhone

Thursday May 8, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is just one month away, and there are already many new features and changes that are expected with it. Apple should seed the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors...
fortnite apple featured

Epic Games Submits Fortnite to U.S. App Store

Friday May 9, 2025 9:57 am PDT by
As promised, Epic Games today submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and if approved by Apple, it will mark the first time that the Fortnite app has been available in the United States since 2020. Fortnite will include options to purchase in-app currency from the web rather than through in-app purchase, which is what got the game banned to begin with. This time, though, Apple has been...
iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full iOS 18.5 Release Notes

Tuesday May 6, 2025 2:17 pm PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.5 to developers and public beta testers, giving us a look at the final version of the update that will be provided to the public next week. With the release candidate, Apple provided release notes, so we have a more complete look at the new features that are included in the update, including those that weren't found during the beta...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
top stories 2025 05 10

Top Stories: iOS 18.5 Release Imminent, iPhone Rumors for 2025 and Beyond, and More

Saturday May 10, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
With Apple's developer conference where it will show off iOS 19 just a month away, the company is wrapping up work on iOS 18.5 ahead of an imminent release to deliver a few new features and updates. This week also saw a number of iPhone-related rumors, encompassing not only this year's iPhone 17 lineup but also Apple's plans for 2026 and 2027, even as Apple's Eddy Cue suggested AI could make ...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Apple's Foldable iPhone Display Tech May Set New Industry Standard

Thursday May 8, 2025 3:29 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will feature a new type of display panel developed by Samsung that has never been used in a foldable product, claims a source with links to Apple's supply chain. According to the account yeux1122 on the Korean Naver blog, the foldable iPhone will use a custom display process for which Apple will hold branding trademark rights, and that meets Apple's stringent ...

Top Rated Comments

gleepskip Avatar
4 days ago at 05:49 am
Tim has the looks and voice for newsprint.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mattopotamus Avatar
4 days ago at 05:41 am
I have been loving this show. The episodes are intense, but so entertaining. This really came out of nowhere, but then again I feel like most Apple shows are that way.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iMac The Knife Avatar
4 days ago at 05:43 am
So, Tim Cook wanted Tim Cook to appear as himself in "The Studio". Got it.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kb2755 Avatar
4 days ago at 06:10 am
And of course, I'd like to thank Sal Saperstein.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TechWhisperer Avatar
4 days ago at 05:52 am
Tim is an exceptional CEO, but his timid demeanor and weak stage presence could make public appearances awkward. I’m relieved they declined, as it might have been painfully cringeworthy.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
4 days ago at 05:52 am
I was actually surprised at how decently Ted Sarandos acted his part in this. Tim Cook seems just incredibly stiff and awkward, even in Apple's product release videos.

Generally loving The Studio. It's definitely taking a Curb Your Enthusiasm approach to extreme social awkardness.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)