Donald Glover’s new psychological thriller Swarm – about the horrors of unchecked pop star obsession – has finally dropped on Prime TV.
The show follows Dre, a superfan of Ni’Jah (a singer strongly resembling Beyoncé) who runs the stan Twitter account called “The Hive” as her love for the singer reaches murderous levels. Swarm can be a tough watch at times — there’s murder, full-frontal nudity, and plenty of awkward moments — but ultimately, the surrealist critique of losing oneself in celebrity worship is worth a watch.
As a series about the dangers of celebrity obsession, it shouldn’t come as a shock that there are a handful of celebrity cameos sprinkled throughout Swarm‘s seven episodes; with Malia Obama penning one of the craziest installments, there’s even a celebrity cameo behind the scenes. Swarm has few recurring cast members and introduces new characters each time out, anthology style. Here’s a look at some of the familiar celebrities who make up Swarm.
Rory Culkin
The youngest sibling in the Culkin family (older brothers include Macaulay and Kieran, of Home Alone and Succession fame, respectively), Rory Culkin appears for a short time in the first episode, as a man who takes Dre home after a night out. When Dre decides to party in celebration of Ni’Jah’s surprise album drop, she dances with his unnamed character, ignoring her foster sister with disastrous results. Culkin doesn’t have a lot to say during his small cameo, but his part is definitely memorable.
Paris Jackson
Singer Paris Jackson, daughter of the late Michael Jackson, appears in the episode “Honey” as a light-skinned dancer at the club Dre works at. Jackson, a model and singer, was the first choice for the role of Hailey. “Carmen Cuba, our casting director, was fantastic,” co-creator and executive producer Janine Nabers told Variety. “She pitched Paris Jackson and we all like fell out. We were like, “Exactly. That’s exactly what we’re talking about… She really just owned it this character of a light-passing biracial woman who is really intent on letting everyone know about her Blackness.”
Billie Eilish
Eilish, known for hits like “Bad Guy” and “NDA,” surprised audiences by making her acting debut as a smooth-talking cult leader in Swarm. While she’s never acted professionally, casting director Cuba approached her to play the part. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter (warning: contains spoilers), Nabers told the publication, “When [Cuba] pitched [Billie Eilish] for the role of Eva, we were like, ‘Oh, she’s really cool! Let’s go with it!’ And it worked out. She was great!”
Rickey Thompson
The social media star appears in the episode “Girl, Bye” as Kenny, a very uncomfortable retail service worker who has a conversation with Dre. Thompson is no stranger to acting, starring in the YouTube series Foursome and recently appearing in the comedy Good Mourning. Though his appearance in the show is short, we can’t help but find him relatable when his conversation with Dre gets intense.
Swarm is streaming now on Prime Video.
