Surprising Guest Star in Poker Face

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Thursday’s episode of Poker Face.

This season of Poker Face has featured numerous guest stars, but one, in particular, caught fans off guard.

In the latest episode of Natasha Lyonne’s Peacock series, Charlie engages in conversation with a new acquaintance she refers to as “Good Buddy” over her CB radio. Viewers might recognize Good Buddy’s voice as that of Steve Buscemi, known for his roles in Fargo and Reservoir Dogs.

Buscemi wasn’t on the list of high-profile guest stars for the show’s second season. However, Lyonne reveals a long-standing friendship between them: “We’ve spent a considerable amount of time together as fellow New Yorkers… He cut me from a movie he directed called Animal Factory back in 1998, where I played ‘Girlfriend.’ We still joke about it.” Initially, Lyonne reached out to Buscemi to direct an episode this season; though he couldn’t take that on, he was available to voice Good Buddy.

Lyonne describes Buscemi as “a hell of a guy” for the role of Good Buddy, stating that he acts as a vital link for Charlie as she journeys from place to place this season.

The creation of Good Buddy is credited to showrunner Tony Tost, who shares: “I have a passion for 1970s trucker films. Growing up, my parents had a CB radio. Films like Smokey and the Bandit and Any Which Way But Loose are classics from that era. We thought it would be a fun concept.” While initially searching for a modern Burt Reynolds-esque actor, executive producer Rian Johnson proposed that casting Steve Buscemi, with his New York roots, would bring an intriguing twist to the character.

Tost hasn’t confirmed whether viewers will see Good Buddy (and Buscemi) in person this season, but hints that Charlie will hear from him again: “In Season 2, he serves as her voice of comfort and reason.”

What are your thoughts on the current season of Poker Face? Share your opinions in the comments!