In Pluribus Episode 6 (“HDP”), John Cena makes a jaw-dropping cameo as he explains the hive mind’s cannibalistic secrets to Rhea Seehorn’s Carol in a funny and creepy video message. In an interview, Samba Schutte, who plays the flamboyant Koumba Diabaté, talks about how excited he is about the surprise casting and how Cena is the perfect mix of fame and charm for the strange role.
Pluribus Plot and Cena’s Wild Role: Vince Gilligan’s Apple TV+ sci-fi hit Pluribus follows survivors like Carol Sturka as they navigate a world where an alien virus has erased individuality and a collective consciousness called the Others rules. In the episode, Carol finds human remains in milk supplies. This makes Cena’s “Others” version, who has left wrestling for hive life, happily explain why they should eat them using PowerPoint. Gilligan says that Cena nails it in three takes on a Tampa soundstage. He even plays the piano between scenes.
Schutte didn’t meet Cena on set; instead, Vince Gilligan stood in and did a recorded stand-up routine in a Southern drawl that sounded like “We cannib, but have to be.” Koumba, a hedonistic star with supermodel friends, an Air Force Koumba jet, and fantasies about being James Bond in Vegas, is obsessed with Cena. She learns wrestling moves and calls him “John” to annoy Carol. Schutte likes the choice: Cena’s friendly demeanor makes the creepy reveal fun.
The cameo is related to Cena’s work on Peacemaker, and the hive shares his dance sequence memories for laughs. Gordon Smith, the executive producer, says that Cena’s “friendly, famous, trustworthy” aura is perfect for unsettling truths. Fans are talking about the unexpected twist in Gilligan’s post-Better Call Saul thriller.
