The Studio Episode 7 recap: Why was Ice Cube’s casting controversial?

Welcome to one of the funniest and most painfully real episodes of The Studio. Episode 7 doesn’t just bring the laughs; it serves up a savage critique of how Hollywood handles modern issues like race, diversity, and public image. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at corporate “wokeness,” this one’s for you.

The episode kicks off with a bang, literally. The studio’s teaser poster for a Kool-Aid Man movie gets massive online attention. The team’s over the moon, convinced they’ve hit gold. One exec even yells, “We’re going to make a billion dollars!” It’s a classic setup for a downfall.

Just as they’re popping metaphorical champagne, Maya, one of the executives, asks a simple question: Is casting Ice Cube as the Kool-Aid Man... maybe problematic? That one line sends the entire team spiraling.

What follows is a masterclass in corporate panic. Suddenly, a room full of mostly white executives is scrambling to understand if they've made a racist mistake. But rather than having an honest conversation, they start tiptoeing around race like it's a landmine.

They turn to Quinn, an Asian-American assistant, to weigh in. Her answer? “I always thought Kool-Aid was a poor person drink, not a Black person drink.” Boom. Now they’ve got a new problem to panic about.

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More opinions, more chaos

Next, they find Tyler, a Black employee, hoping he’ll give them the thumbs up. He does... sort of. But when asked to speak for all Black people, he shuts that down quick. Tyler even suggests asking other Black creatives, but of course, the execs want him to ask them. Classic corporate laziness.

From there, the ideas get more and more ridiculous.

One exec suggests casting an all-Black family to match Ice Cube’s Kool-Aid Man. Someone else tries to “solve” diversity using U.S. Census data. They even seriously debate needing 0.36 of an Asian person to hit a diversity quota.

Yes, it’s as cringe as it sounds.

The team starts arguing over whether Jewish people count as a race, whether Anya Taylor-Joy counts as Latina, and if casting a gay kid might save them from criticism. It’s less about actual representation and more about not getting canceled.

Even the writers get involved. They say they’re not comfortable writing for an all-Black cast, out of respect, they claim. But it quickly becomes clear that it’s more about not wanting to step out of their comfort zone. When asked directly if there’s a “limit” to how many Black characters they can write for, they bail entirely.

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Confronting Ice Cube

Matt, one of the main executives, finally decides to talk to Ice Cube himself.

It goes badly.

Ice Cube sees right through the nervous energy and vague wording. He calls it out: “You think I’m not smart enough to know this could be seen as a stereotype?” Then he drops the mic: “The Kool-Aid Man is Black.”

That’s that.

Feeling like they've finally solved their PR nightmare, the studio proudly reveals Ice Cube as the Kool-Aid Man at Comic-Con.

But then, another bomb drops.

A fan asks about the studio using AI instead of human animators. Cue outrage. The crowd flips. Even Ice Cube joins in, shouting “F*** AI” before walking off. His final words? “Can’t believe y’all got me part of this bullshit.”

Ouch.

In the end, the episode isn’t saying it’s bad to care about race or diversity. What it’s mocking is how some companies pretend to care just to avoid bad press. They’re more worried about looking right than doing what’s right.

There’s more going on under the surface too. At the start, two characters joke about hooking up but stop themselves, hinting at a messy office romance. Maya’s original comment about Ice Cube? Some viewers might wonder if she was actually concerned... or just trying to make herself look good.

The editing is razor-sharp. Quick cuts between panicked faces, awkward silences, and offbeat timing make the whole thing feel like a ticking time bomb. The pacing? Perfect. Just when it gets too ridiculous, something new drops.

This is The Studio at its smartest. It doesn’t give easy answers, because there aren’t any. But it shows how messy, funny, and uncomfortable trying to “do the right thing” can get, especially when money’s on the line.

Episode 7 isn’t just a comedy; it’s a mirror. It shows us how Hollywood often tackles serious issues with shallow fixes. Instead of digging deep, execs want a quick win. And when things blow up, they’re shocked. It’s a wild, hilarious, and honestly eye-opening ride. The Kool-Aid Man may still break through walls, but this time, it’s the walls of performative activism getting shattered.