“He didn’t really know”: Pluribus writer reveals how Patrick Fabian came on board for his cameo in the show

Pluribus has been surprising us all season, but hearing a familiar voice pop up out of nowhere is what really got fans to jump out of their seats. Some fans want to know how that cameo even happened, and the answer is actually pretty funny.

Writer Gordon Smith explained it perfectly when he told The Hollywood Reporter:

“So we asked, and he said yes. He didn’t really know what he was recording. I was on the Zoom session with him, and I just talked to him through what the emotional register should be.”

So how did this all come together? Here is everything you need to know about the cameo in Episode 5 of Pluribus.

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How Patrick Fabian ended up becoming the unexpected voice fans couldn’t stop replaying

Anyone who watches Pluribus knows the show loves throwing curveballs. Episode 5 proved that again with the moment Carol called the Joined and was met with a calm, kind voice that instantly reminded fans of Better Call Saul.

That voice belonged to Patrick Fabian, and the story behind getting him involved is honestly the most chill thing ever. Gordon Smith told THR that the team just thought he was the perfect fit. They literally said:

“You know who would be perfect? Patrick.”

After that, they reached out, and he agreed.

Smith described the whole thing like it was a quick hangout. He said, “He didn’t really know what he was recording,” and added that he walked Fabian through the mood of the scene over Zoom.

According to Smith, Fabian has this mix of light and hidden darkness in his acting that made him ideal for this moment. He recorded tons of versions, and Smith said any one of them would have worked.

The cameo gets even funnier when you realize Seehorn had no warning beforehand. She filmed her reaction live, and only after they yelled cut did she say:

“Was that Patrick!? Excuse me, nobody said that was going to be Patrick.”

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The behind-the-scenes prank that made the cameo even better for the Pluribus cast and crew

The cameo itself was cool, but the inside story about how the team used it to prank Rhea Seehorn is even better. Since Seehorn and Fabian go way back from their Better Call Saul days, the Pluribus crew basically set up the perfect moment to mess with her.

Smith said they recorded Fabian’s greeting early, before shooting Carol’s big scene. Their whole plan was to see if Seehorn would break once she heard her old friend’s voice playing from the Joined voicemail.

Nobody told her anything. Not even a hint. Smith admitted it straight up:

“We didn’t give [Seehorn] the heads up. We wanted to see what she would do and if she would break.”

She did not break at all. She stayed in full Carol mode and powered through the moment like a total pro. Only when the scene ended did she finally react. Her shock was the kind people wish had made it into the final cut. Smith remembered her yelling, “Nobody said that was going to be Patrick.”

This tiny behind-the-scenes moment honestly captures the essence of being on the Pluribus set. The cast knows each other well, and the crew has fun with every little detail.

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Patrick Fabian’s cameo in Pluribus may have lasted only a few moments, but the story behind it made the whole thing unforgettable. It started with a simple idea that snowballed into a sweet reunion and a harmless prank on Rhea Seehorn.

Smith’s full explanation shows how casual and fun the process was, even while the show itself was in one of its most emotional points, and it’s a safe bet to say that fans, along with Rhea Seehorn, ate it up!

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