Ed Sheeran’s Red Notice Surprise Admits His Game of Thrones Cameo Was Bad

Ed Sheeran’s surprise appearance in Red Notice admits that his Game of Thrones cameo was bad. The Netflix heist comedy follows John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson), Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds), and the Bishop (Gal Gadot) around the world as they struggle to obtain all three of the famed eggs of Cleopatra. After countless hilarious twists and double-crosses, the powerhouse Red Notice cast of characters is briefly joined by another A-lister.

Near the end of the film, Ed Sheeran appears as himself, performing a set at the wedding of a wealthy Egyptian family. Unfortunately for Sheeran, the cops crash the party in the middle of his song to the artist’s great chagrin. After brandishing his guitar as a weapon, Sheeran is dragged away by the police, screaming, “Do you know who I am? I was in Game of Thrones!“

It’s a comedic reference to the HBO fantasy series on which Sheeran also made a cameo in season 7, episode 1, “Dragonstone,” where he briefly portrayed a Lannister soldier. The fleeting appearance, however, incited significant criticism from many Game of Thrones fans who felt Sheeran’s cameo was unnecessary and distracted from the show’s immersion. The line in Red Notice feels like a riff on Sheeran’s Game of Thrones cameo, and it’s particularly funny because it seems fully self-aware of how badly that appearance was received.

The comedy lies in the fact that the masked police officers are either unaware or apathetic to the fact that they’re man-handling one of music’s biggest pop stars. Sheeran, for his part, seems to also be mocking the entitlement of famous people after he shoves a police officer who bumped into him. He then tries to attack them with his guitar before being easily detained. Still under the funny delusion that his stardom will save him, he yells about his notorious cameo on Game of Thrones. The fact that none of the cops in the scene recognize him or acknowledge his significance simultaneously mocks and turns the tables on his poorly considered HBO appearance.

It’s a stark contrast to Ed Sheeran’s Game of Thrones cameo which was characterized by how awkward the recognizable musician made the scene. Even though his character was a nobody, the cameras spent way too much time focusing on Sheeran, as if to accentuate the importance of his presence (as an extra, nonetheless). The weird lingering paired with his general fame was what led Sheeran’s cameo to break audience immersion and garnered so much criticism, but he clearly doesn’t mind poking fun at how badly the stunt went with his appearance in Red Notice.

It’s a positive sign for Sheeran that he doesn’t let one bad cameo get him down and prevent him from ever trying it again. If anything, his appearance in the Red Notice‘s twist ending showcases some talent for humor. His strong physical comedy and ability to make fun of himself could make him perfect for future cameos in satirical roles, and it’s possible that he will even appear in the likely Red Notice sequel.

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