Who Is The Actor In Beyonce's Verizon Commercial?
Even before the Super Bowl aired, Verizon teased Beyoncé would be in a jam-packed ad with a video of a man squeezing lemons. That came to fruition with the megastar appearing in one of the big game's best commercials, where the singer attempts to break the internet in various ways — including a Beyoncé-Barbie mashup that no one saw coming. The Grammy winner may be the star of the spot (as she should be), but she has an assistant who's also a fairly big name in the entertainment industry. The actor in the Verizon commercial is Tony Hale, who's starred in a litany of comedies over the years.
Hale is well-suited to play a slightly timid guy who informs Beyoncé that her stunts haven't broken the internet. He's probably best known for playing one of the more likable characters on "Arrested Development" — Buster Bluth. Buster gives a new meaning to "momma's boy" and his anxious personality directly contrasts with some of his more outgoing siblings.
While "Arrested Development" alone would make for some great comedic pedigree, Hale also played Gary Walsh on "Veep." His skills aren't limited to television, as he's starred in movies like "Love, Simon" and "Hocus Pocus 2." The actor is a major star who always delivers laughs, even when it's in a Verizon Beyoncé ad.
Tony Hale had to keep the Beyoncé commercial a secret from his daughter
Many actors appear in Super Bowl commercials in 2024, but Tony Hale may have been in the coolest of them all. At the end of the ad, Beyoncé teases a new album, "Act II," which will have country influences, is on the way. It's easy to get overshadowed by all that, but the actor who played second banana to Lucille Bluth (Jessica Walter) on "Arrested Development" might be used to that. Following the Super Bowl spot, an interview with Hale emerged on Variety, where he talked about this one-in-a-million opportunity.
When asked what it was like to work with Beyoncé, Hale couldn't have been more complimentary. "She's just the kindest person," he stated. "Obviously, she's incredibly talented, but she could not be more down to earth. That's what's cool about this business: When you do meet these icons, you see the humanity." However, the experience also came with a certain amount of stress, as Hale hid the gig from his daughter. Beyoncé's involvement needed to stay a surprise to the public, so he had to be vague when talking about this acting job.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hale's daughter figured it out from those initial ad teases starring Hale. The actor continued, "She's a big Taylor Swift fan, too, and it's all about hints and coding. She picked up on the lemons and me saying 'hold up' in the beginning of the teaser." The secret may have been spoiled early, but it was an incredible opportunity, and now, Hale is an honorary member of the BeyHive.