Squid Game Season 3 enlisted an Academy Award–winning actor to help drive home a point: There truly is no stopping the games. 

Cate Blanchett cameos in the final scene of the hit Korean thriller as a recruiter for the deadly titular competition.

“We thought having a woman as a recruiter would be more dramatic and intriguing,” says Squid Game Director Hwang Dong-hyuk. “And as for why Cate Blanchett, she’s just the best, with unmatched charisma. Who doesn’t love her? So we were very happy to have her appear. We needed someone who could dominate the screen with just one or two words, which is exactly what she did.” Hwang continues, “If Gong Yoo is the Korean Recruiter, I thought she would be the perfect fit as the American Recruiter, bringing a short but gripping and impactful ending to the story.” 

Picking up in the wake of a failed revolution, Season 3 continues to chronicle the physical and philosophical struggle between Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who’s determined to take down the dehumanizing games once and for all, and Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who desperately wants to break Gi-hun’s faith in humanity. In the aftermath of that battle of wills — and the last scene of the show — Front Man finds himself in a car in Downtown Los Angeles, and while stopped at a light, he hears some familiar sounds: the thwap of two ddakji tiles hitting the ground followed by the sharp crack of a slap across the face. 

Front Man rolls down his window and sees a suited Blanchett playing ddakji with a seemingly desperate man in an alleyway. Blanchett looks up and exchanges a knowing glance with Front Man, who pulls away as Blanchett’s attention returns to her recruit, who insists on playing again — because of course he does. 

Director Hwang was impressed with what Blanchett did with such limited screen time. “During the shoot, she reminded me of what true talent looks like. Even with just a few looks and lines, her performance was mesmerizing,” he says. “She was amazing at playing ddakji. I believe she successfully flipped the ddakji with her first try, and we were able to get that one long take right away.”

For his part, Lee Byung-hun thinks the final scene is “truly an ending that fits the [show’s] name.” 

“Personally, I interpret it as, despite all of the noble efforts of so many people, the world still continues as it was before,” he says.  

Maybe there are some games you can’t win. 

All three seasons of Squid Game are available to watch now. Make sure you read Tudum’s in-depth deep dive on the climactic ending and more. 

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