Midnight Mass: Where To Spot Mike Flanagan’s Cameo

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Midnight Mass.

Mike Flanagan stacked the cast ofMidnight Mass with a whole host of familiar faces — but the acclaimed writer/director also found a place for himself to cameo in the blood-soaked allegory. A long-gestating passion project of Flanagan’s, Midnight Mass finally emerged via Netflix to rave reviews. Set on the isolated fishing community of Crockett Island, its residents found themselves beset by horrors both supernatural and entirely human in nature.

The catalyst for the eventual chaos was the arrival of Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater). Seemingly able to facilitate miracles, his tenure at St. Patrick’s Church enveloped (and brutally divided) the entire island. The enigmatic priest’s dark secrets ultimately came to light across seven episodes. As they did, Mike Flanagan ramped up the tension and delved deeper into poignant themes. Aiding him in that endeavor was a blend of impressive newcomers and recognizable names that have emerged as frequent collaborators. Together, the eclectic cast and characters of Midnight Mass captivated viewers as they battled for the fate of the world.

Flanagan, however, was not content with having penned (or co-written) and directed each Midnight Mass installment. Taking a leaf out of Alfred Hitchcock’s book, he even gifted himself a little cameo. As revealed in Midnight Mass episode 3, “Book III: Proverbs,” one of Father Paul’s secrets was that he and Monsignor Pruitt were actually one and the same. Having served Crockett Island for decades, the octogenarian priest was rewarded with a sponsored trip to Jerusalem. There, the ailing Pruitt wandered away from his tour, got lost in a storm, and, eventually, crossed paths with Midnight Mass‘ vampire-like monster — which restored his youth and that he mistook for an angel. The entire saga was revealed in brief flashbacks, and that was where Mike Flanagan’s cameo could be found. Credited as “Young Priest,” he appeared as part of the Jerusalem tour, trying to keep Monsignor Pruitt from veering away.

This wasn’t the first time Mike Flanagan has offered himself up as an easter egg in his own projects. He appeared in fellow Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House. There Flanagan played a taxi cab driver who picked up Olivia Crain (Carla Gugino) when she erroneously seemed to go visit her sister in episode 9, “Screaming Meemies.” He also cameoed in his 2016 supernatural drama, Before I Wake— Flanagan’s most underrated movie, as well as others. As such, the popular writer/director has crafted yet another pattern in his works for fans to eagerly look out for, either in rewatch or when future projects finally get released.

Flanagan’s appearance in Midnight Mass marked a step up from Hill House. After all, he actually gave himself a line this time around. Though the character was a momentary presence, he was nonetheless essential. If he hadn’t have guided Monsignor Pruitt at least the little way he did, before others lapsed in monitoring him, the latter events of Midnight Mass would never have happened — for better and for worse. Mike Flanagan also wasn’t alone in terms of hidden Midnight Mass cameos. The aforementioned Carla Gugino also made a voice cameo in episode 1. Therefore, fans now have a few reasons to rewatch Midnight Mass sooner rather than later as the next Halloween season continues to approach.

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