WARNING! This article contains spoilers for Hacks’ season 3 finale!

Kathryn Newton makes an unexpected cameo in Hacks season 3, with one line from her character creating an acting paradox with her divisive 2024 horror movie. There’s been an incredible lineup of guest stars and cameos in Hacks season 3, and the finale doesn’t disappoint as rising Scream Queen Kathryn Newton makes a surprise appearance. While Newton’s recent projects have primarily been on the big screen, she makes an exciting meta cameo in Hacks that leaves the door open to reprise her role in the hit comedy show.

When Kayla and Jimmy sit down for a meeting with a prospective client in Hacks season 3, episode 9, the former Disney star is revealed to be played by Newton. In one of her more hilarious but less likable roles, Newton turns out to be a childhood “friend” of Kayla who was and still is her bully, with Newton’s character consistently referring to Kayla as “Pepperoni Stick” while making fun of her in front of Jimmy. One of the stories that she tells about her childhood with Kayla also includes a reference to an iconic 2000s Disney Channel show, which creates an actor paradox for Newton.

Kathryn Newton’s Cole Sprouse Reference In Hacks Season 3 Creates A Paradox With Lisa Frankenstein

Kathryn Newton seemingly already exists in Hacks’ world

As Kathryn Newton’s character describes the origins of Kayla’s “Pepperoni Stick” nickname, she explains that it occurred when they were at a sleepover watching the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Of course, this show was how Dylan and Cole Sprouse rose to fame as the titular twin characters, with the latter actor eventually going on to star opposite Newton in the cast of 2024’s Lisa Frankenstein. Therefore, the idea that Cole Sprouse exists and is mentioned by Newton in Hacks season 3 suggests that Kathryn Newton also exists as a horror actress in the Max show’s reality.

Comedy shows creating paradoxes with their actors is far from a new concept, especially when it comes to a show like Hacks that frequently makes references to actors, movies, shows, and figures in Hollywood. However, considering Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse’s Lisa Frankenstein movie was released just three months before her Hacks cameo, the paradox is much more difficult to ignore. Still, with Hacks season 3’s finale including some meta jokes aimed at Newton’s real movie career, the paradox with Cole Sprouse elevates these playful jabs.

Kathryn Newton’s Hacks Role Ironically Pokes Fun At Her Horror Movie Career

Newton’s actress character has an ironic movie problem

Kathryn Newton’s Hacks character also has additional meta elements that tie into her success with horror movies. Newton’s character mentions that she finished a movie about a goat demon, leading Jimmy to believe that it was a scary horror movie. However, Newton mentions that the movie wasn’t supposed to be scary, which is ironic given the actress’s notoriety in horror films like Paranormal Activity 4, Freaky, Lisa Frankenstein, and Abigail. With plenty of real-world-related jokes around Kathryn Newton’s Hacks season 3 role, she’ll hopefully make a return that doubles down on these elements in season 4.