The New York Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought this summer, and somehow, a face-painted WWE wrestler with a demonic gimmick and a PT Cruiser obsession might be the one who deserves the most thanks.
Danhausen — the pro wrestling personality who made his name in All Elite Wrestling before crossing over into WWE — is now making a very nice, very evil pitch to Ben Stiller. His ask? A role in season three of Severance, the Apple TV+ psychological thriller that Stiller executive produces and occasionally directs.
Danhausen took to X this week with a direct appeal to Stiller. “Hello [Ben Stiller,] can Danhausen star in Severance Season 3? Danhausens outtie enjoys cruising around in his PT Cruiser.” The post has since drawn tens of thousands of likes and spawned a flood of fan casting suggestions.
The timing is no accident. Danhausen has legitimate claim to a share of the Knicks’ championship lore. And Stiller, a lifelong Knicks fan and part-owner of the franchise, is probably in a mood to listen.
The ‘Uncurse’ That Changed New York Basketball
The Knicks entered the 2025 postseason as underdogs. After falling behind 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, the team looked headed for another early exit. That’s when Danhausen stepped in. On April 28, he posted a video to social media declaring that he would “uncurse” the Knicks — a callback to his wrestling character’s supernatural gimmick.
Whether you believe in curses or not, the results are undeniable. New York rattled off 13 straight wins. They swept the Philadelphia 76ers. They swept the Cleveland Cavaliers. They entered the NBA Finals as heavy favorites.
The streak finally ended in Game 3 against the San Antonio Spurs. Down 2-0, the Spurs won at Madison Square Garden — but then the Knicks did something unprecedented. Trailing by 29 points in Game 4, they mounted the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, winning 112-108. Game 5 back in San Antonio was never close. New York clinched the title 119-102.
Danhausen has been celebrating ever since. According to fans online, he attended multiple playoff games and was spotted in the tunnel after Game 5 wearing a custom Knicks jersey with “Danhausen” across the back.
Can Danhausen Actually Land the Role?
This is not the first time a wrestler has parlayed popularity into a TV role. John Cena, Dave Bautista, and Dwayne Johnson all made the leap. But Danhausen’s pitch is unusual because it’s purely comedic. His character is a cartoonish, horror-themed goofball who speaks in third person and collects cursed artifacts.
Severance is a dark, cerebral drama about corporate mind control and fragmented identity. But the show’s second season introduced moments of absurdist humor. Fans have already speculated online that Danhausen could play a rogue Lumon employee or a hallucination caused by the severance chip.
Neither Stiller nor Apple TV+ has responded to Danhausen’s request. The team behind the series has not confirmed any casting decisions for season three, which is expected to begin production later this year.
One thing is certain: Danhausen has the attention of New York’s most famous superfan. And after what he did for the Knicks, Ben Stiller at least owes him a read.
Leave a Comment