'Squid Game 3' ends with a global twist — and an Oscar Winner you didn't expect in the final frame

Mint

7 hours ago

'Squid Game' has never shied away from pulling the rug out from under its audience, but the final seconds of Season 3 delivered a twist no one saw coming — the unmistakable face of two-time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett.
The Australian actor appears in a brief but haunting cameo as the American recruiter for the deadly underground game, closing out the explosive season with a single, chilling glance.
In the season's final scene, the mysterious Front Man, played by Lee Byung-hun, sits in a car in downtown Los Angeles when he hears the familiar thwap of ddakji tiles — the same game that lured hundreds of desperate participants in past seasons.
When he rolls down the window, he spots Blanchett, sharply dressed in a tailored suit, playing ddakji with a clearly distressed man in an alley.
A knowing glance passes between her and Front Man before he drives off, the implication clear: the game has spread far beyond Korea — and there's no stopping it now.
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, returning to helm the third season, confirmed Blanchett's appearance and the decision behind her casting. 'We thought having a woman as a recruiter would be more dramatic and intriguing,' he said. 'And as for why Cate Blanchett — she's just the best, with unmatched charisma. Who doesn't love her?'
He added, 'We needed someone who could dominate the screen with just one or two words, which is exactly what she did. She reminded me of what true talent looks like.'
According to Hwang, Blanchett mastered the Korean street game with ease, flipping the tile on her first try and nailing the pivotal scene in a single take. 'She was amazing at playing ddakji,' he said. 'Her performance was mesmerising.'
Lee Byung-hun, who has portrayed the enigmatic Front Man/Hwang In-ho since Season 1, said the ending delivers a bitter truth. 'Despite all of the noble efforts of so many people, the world still continues as it was before,' he said. 'There are some games you just can't win.'
With Blanchett's surprise cameo, Squid Game has not only expanded its universe — it has reinforced its message: the systems of desperation and power are global, and the game is far from over.