Apple TV+ subscribers get an inside look at Hollywood’s streaming wars through Seth Rogen’s hit comedy series The Studio — complete with a surprising guest appearance Wednesday night from rival streaming executive Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. Apple tried to prevent the Netflix CEO cameo with a Tim Cook substitution, according to a new report Wednesday.
Netflix CEO gets cameo in The Studio despite Apple request for Tim Cook substitution
In a bold creative decision, Rogen recently revealed at the SXSW Film & TV Festival that Apple executives suggested replacing Sarandos with Apple CEO Cook for a cameo role in The Studio.
“They asked if we could use Tim Cook instead, and we said no,” Rogen told Business Insider at the event.
The Netflix executive appears in episode eight, where Rogen’s character Matt Remick — a struggling studio head — attends the Golden Globes for a film nomination. Throughout the event, winners from Netflix productions effusively thank Sarandos in their acceptance speeches, creating an ongoing comedic bit.
During their encounter in the men’s rest room, Sarandos reveals to Remick that he contractually requires artists to thank him in acceptance speeches. In a moment of candor, he forces Matt to acknowledge that neither of them are true artists but rather the “bean counters” supporting creative talent.
Art versus commerce theme resonates in streaming landscape
The show’s fictional world closely mirrors reality, where Netflix dominates the streaming landscape while Apple TV+ faces challenges. According to industry reports, Apple is losing over $1 billion annually on its streaming service with approximately 45 million subscribers. Meanwhile, Netflix has become highly profitable with reportedly over 300 million subscribers by late 2024.
Rogen not only stars in The Studio but also created and directed this affectionate critique of Hollywood’s flawed business model. The comedy follows his character Remick, newly appointed head of the fictional Continental Studios, as he navigates the difficult balance between creating worthwhile art and generating profits. That’s a tension familiar to many in the entertainment business.
Real industry experiences inform storytelling
The show’s themes of artistic integrity versus commercial pressures draw directly from Rogen’s own career experiences. He and producing partner Evan Goldberg intentionally incorporated real industry encounters into the series. One notable example includes a memorable line from the pilot where Remick laments: “I got into all this because I love movies, but now I fear it’s my job to ruin them.”
Rogen revealed the dialogue came directly from an executive who once reluctantly gave notes to him and Goldberg early in their careers. That executive, Steve Asbell, currently runs Fox — a detail Rogen shared with laughter, suggesting the industry relationships portrayed in the show remain complex in real life as well.
So Apple took no for an answer from Rogen. But maybe newly green-lit season two will hold a spot for Tim Cook.
