Archer executive producer Casey Willis says British actor Simon Pegg and horror movie icon Jamie Lee Curtis will guest on season 11 of the show. The adult animated show follows the titular character’s ineffective but hilarious work as a spy. Recent seasons have all taken place in Archer’s mind while the main character lies in a coma, allowing the creators to play around with the format and take the characters to new and interesting locations and time periods.
Archer season 11, however, will return to the show’s roots, as Archer wakes from his coma and presumably will return to his work at the Figgis Agency, where the rest of the characters moved following the dissolution of their spy organization ISIS. The show features a sterling cast of voice performers, including H. Jon Benjamin as the deep-voiced protagonist, veteran TV actress Jessica Walters as matriarch Malory Archer, Aisha Tyler as Lana Kane and Judy Greer as Cheryl Tunt. The show has been on FX, and now FXX, since 2009, and has been hailed by critics and audiences alike for its humor and absurd storylines.
Now, Willis, who was appearing on the “Archer@Home” panel as part of Comic-Con@Home has revealed that Archer season 11 will feature at least two major guest stars. The first is comic actor Pegg, known for starring in the Cornetto Trilogy, playing Scottie in the Star Trek reboot movies, and appearing in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Willis also revealed that Curtis, the horror icon known for playing Laurie Strode in the Halloween franchise, will have a recurring guest role during season 11. Greer, who starred alongside Curtis in the most recent Halloween movie, explained how Curtis’ role came about.
“When we first showed up for rehearsals in Charleston where we shot the movie [Halloween] I introduced myself to her and she just went right in for Archer. Like Archer, Archer, Archer, Archer, Archer. So much so, and I’ve never actually asked her this, but I do think that’s maybe why I got the job, because she’s an Executive Producer on the movies. I swear I think it’s one of the reasons … She and her son really bond over Archer, they watch it all the time. It’s his favorite show and one of her favorite shows. So I said ‘Jamie, you know 100% I could get you on the show.'”
In reaction, Amber Nash, who plays Pam Poovey on the show, says she’s always surprised when “reputable people like this show.” No one mentions how Pegg got involved, but the presence of the two guest stars for season 11 will certainly help to further boost the already popular show’s ratings. Willis added that he couldn’t reveal all of the guest stars, which means fans can look forward to even more famous names appearing in Archer.
There’s no word yet on who each actor will portray, but the casting news is exciting. Pegg, with his British accent, would be a great choice to play a sauve British agent on the show, perhaps a parody of a James Bond-type. And with Curtis’ legendary status in Hollywood, she could portray anyone. We’ll have to wait for September 16, which is when Archer season 11 premiers on FXX, to find out.
