Cate Blanchett reveals that her surprise Squid Game cameo was not planned

Squid Game season three, which was released on Netflix on 27th June 2025, became one of the most successful seasons of the show because of its ending. While the entire season had multiple examples of brilliant storytelling, the finale is what sealed the deal. Gi-hun sacrificed himself to save Jee-hun's baby, making the baby the winner of the squid games.

We also saw Hwang Jun-ho find the island right before the Front Man destroyed the squid game facility. But the most interesting twist was that an American woman (played by Cate Blanchett) was seen playing ddakji in an alley. This hinted at the fact that the games had already spread to America and perhaps to other places in the world.

Cate Blanchett's cameo on the show was one of the most shocking moments of the finale. Blanchett's character represented the existence of the games outside South Korea, and an actress of her stature being a part of the show meant she could be a part of the American Squid Game, if one gets made. Speaking with Variety, Blanchett shared how the surprise cameo was not as planned as one would think.

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Cate Blanchett's scene in Squid Game was unplanned

Squid Game season three marked the end of the Squid Games in South Korea, but Cate Blanchett's character (a female, American counterpart of the Front Man) playing ddakji with a man in an alley as the Front Man passed her by, acknowledging her with a nod, meant that the games are far from over. They are still active in America and perhaps in other countries as well.

This cameo by Cate Blanchett was top-secret, and an extremely well-kept secret at that. But as Blanchett told Variety in an interview, the scene wasn't too planned. She said,

"Because it’s such a cult series and they were shooting in L.A. of all places, everyone was on a need-to-know basis,”

Blanchett continued to explain how filming the scene went, saying,

“I got a couple of storyboards. I had to [learn to] play the game very quickly. I had to practice and practice. I knew there were four or five setups that they were going to do, and I knew what they needed from every shot, and then I was given the sides. But it was one of the more mysterious jobs.”

Blanchett also said that she didn't even try on suits to find the right one; they asked her to bring one of her own.

Cate Blanchett's presence on the show could mean that an English Squid Game, potentially set in America, could be in development. When Variety asked if she would like to lead such a show if it were to get made, she said,

"I am wildly open to anything,”

Blanchett continued,

"And in a world that is so beautifully, magically created like that, for sure. They’re amazing world-builders, and that series has been eaten alive. I don’t think there’s a corner of the globe that it hasn’t touched in some way.”

Besides, if she were to lead an English version of the Korean drama, her wish could come true, as Blanchett told Variety that she is

"particularly keen”

to be a part of a show

“that is fully formed.”

When asked about what she thinks of the speculation that David Fincher is potentially in the process of developing an English version of Squid Game, Blanchett said,

“I mean, I’d love to work with David again. It’s been ages. But no, I don’t know anything more than you do. I’m not being coy. I really don’t.”

While there's no confirmation of an English version of the show, if it does get made, the show will surely be a hit, given the fanbase the first show created. It would have to maintain the legacy of its predecessor, but there's no reason why an English version won't be a success. Besides, if Cate Blanchett leads it, half the work's already done.

Squid Game is streaming on Netflix.

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