Authors and showrunners seem to be popping up in our favorite shows. Here’s a collection of some of our recent favorites.
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The trend of authors, producers, and showrunners inserting themselves into their TV and film adaptations is nothing new. Arguably the trend was started by Alfred Hitchcock years ago. He spent the better part of five decades making sure he was immortalized in his films. Spotting “Hitch” became a Where’s Waldo tradition before there ever was a Where’s Waldo.
Sometimes these cameos are completely intentional. They are announced to the fans ahead of time as part of the hype behind the franchise. Other times, the shows do their best to keep the cameo under wraps for a surprise when the show is first seen. The cameo is a “cookie” or “Easter Egg” or “meta moment” for the fans. Whatever term you want to use, spotting the real life writers and showrunners can be a whole lot of fun.
Now as much fun as the author cameo seems to be, there are some authors who want no part of the tradition. Notably, J.K. Rowling turned down a cameo in the Harry Potter movies stating, “I would have messed it up somehow.” She was initially offered the part of Harry’s mother, Lily, in the first movie when Harry sees his mother in the Mirror of Erised.
There are also authors who would love to have cameos, but the logistics just haven’t worked out. George R. R. Martin of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, better known as Game of Thrones, would love to make an appearance on the popular HBO series. Martin has stated, “The cameo we had planned would’ve involved me going to Croatia, and I just couldn’t find the time between all my other trips and my speaking engagements and the work I had to do to take off time to fly to Croatia.”
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