Tim Burton has a hidden cameo in Beetlejuice 2 and it’s the strangest of his entire career

NOTICE! This article contains SPOILERS for Beetlejuice 2 (2024)!In the director’s comment to Beetle juice Beetle juiceTim Burton reveals he has a hidden cameo in the hit 2024 film, and it’s certainly not a role one would expect for the gothic horror filmmaker. The cast of Beetlejuice 2 reunites Tim Burton with the actors from the original 1988 film, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, as well as other frequent collaborators like Danny DeVito and Jenna Ortega. With many big names already headlining Warner Bros’ 2024 blockbuster, the star cast is increased further with Burton himself playing a notable role.

Although Tim Burton is best known for his directing, writing, animation, and producing credits, he has ventured into acting on a few occasions since the beginning of his career. From voiceovers in short films to on-screen cameos in cult films, most of his acting activities occurred in uncredited appearanceswith the exception of Burton’s 1992 cameo Singles. The uncredited nature of his cameos often makes them harder to find in his films or other projects, which is the case with Burton’s surprising cameo in Beetlejuice 2.

Tim Burton voices baby Betelgeuse in Beetlejuice 2

Burton provides the noises and voice of the baby Betelgeuse’s demonic form

The digital release of Beetle juice Beetle juice included special features with director’s commentary from Tim Burton, in which the filmmaker revealed many behind-the-scenes secrets and new details about the long-awaited sequel. In one of the commentary’s most shocking revelations, Tim Burton confirms he provided the voice and noises for Baby Betelgeuse. Beetlejuice 2The demonic Baby Betelgeuse is one of the scariest additions to the sequel, as it consists of an infant version of Keaton’s dead character with a striped onesie, sharp teeth, a quick crawling ability, and a taste for blood.

Baby Betelgeuse appears on two occasions; first, when Betelgeuse forces Lydia to give birth to the demonic child during her “therapy session”, and again in Beetlejuice 2ends when Lydia has a nightmare about Astrid giving birth to the same baby. When Baby Betelgeuse is on screen, he is accompanied by some disturbing growls and noises, gnawing on flesh or light bulbs and, in Lydia’s nightmare, calling Astrid “mommy” in a distorted voice. While it might have been easy to assume that Baby Betelgeuse’s voice and noises were provided by the film’s sound effects team, Burton chose to take on the work himself.

Tim Burton reveals in his audio commentary that he decided to voice baby Betelgeuse after having already provided some guidance on how to make the baby’s noises. He originally intended for Michael Keaton to voice the baby, but Keaton suggested that Burton do it himself. Burton explains that he used to scare his own children when they were younger by imitating Sun Baby’s voice in Teletubbiesso he translated these noises into Beetlejuice 2It’s a demon baby.

Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 Voice Cameo Is Only the Third Time He’s Appeared in His Own Films

Tim Burton previously appeared in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children

Unlike other directors known for appearing in their own films, such as Alfred Hitchcock’s famous cameos or Quentin Tarantino’s self-directed roles, Tim Burton has only inserted himself into his films on three occasions. Before his cameo Beetlejuice 2the only Tim Burton films in which the director himself appeared were his directorial debut, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985) and his 2016 fantasy film Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

In Pee-wee’s Big AdventureBurton appeared in an uncredited role as a thug in an alley, who confronts Paul Reubens’ titular character while it is raining. More than 30 years later, Burton had another self-directed cameo in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children as a passenger on an attractionriding one of the amusement park rides in the film’s big final boardwalk battle. Considering how memorable and extensive Baby Betelgeuse’s two scenes are in Beetlejuice 2Burton’s final voice is the most important cameo he has had in one of his own films.

Tim Burton voicing Baby Betelgeuse is the most bizarre acting credit of his career

Tim Burton only had a few acting roles

Tim Burton only has 14 film roles and a few short films, and Baby Betelgeuse certainly stands out as the most surprising yet fun role for the director to take on. In addition to his roles as “thug in the alley” and “passenger attraction” in his own films, Burton’s acting history includes playing Brian in the 1992 film. Singlesin which another character refers to him as “the next Martin Scorsese.” Burton also played a corpse in the 1992 gangster film Hoffaand an alien on the TV monitors in Men in Black 3.

Burton playing an alien in Men in Black 3 is arguably his second most bizarre entry, but Baby Betelgeuse now takes the cake. It’s surprising enough to have a demonic character making as many disturbing noises as Baby Betelgeuse, and it’s even more hilariously strange and appropriate to have Tim Burton be the one providing them. Burton’s voice cameo is a great way to further incorporate his unique touch and love of cinema into all aspects of the film. Beetlejuice 2and voicing Betelgeuse’s baby form now allows him to say he technically portrayed the titular character.

Tim Burton also has a subtle cameo in Beetlejuice 2’s stop-motion scene

Tim Burton was the model for one of the plane’s passengers

Turns out Baby Betelgeuse isn’t Tim Burton’s only cameo in Beetle juice Beetle juice. Special features for Beetlejuice 2The digital release also includes an extra look at the process of creating the sequel’s stop-motion animation sequences. In addition to Beetlejuice 2After the sandworm’s return, the animators went into stunning detail when designing the passengers of the plane that Charles Deetz crashed into during the stop-motion flashback. When presenting the several passenger heads that were designed, one of which was modeled after Tim Burton.

The special reveals that the chaotic plane journey is based on Tim Burton’s own story.escape from hell” on a budget airline, so it’s fitting that the animators included his likeness for one of the passengers. Only the top portion of the Burton-like doll can be seen in Beetlejuice 2the final cut, which appears a row or two behind the kids fighting behind Charles on the plane. With Beetle juice Beetle juice marking Tim Burton’s triumphant return to his original cinematic approach, a box office hit and a critically praised horror-comedy all in one, it’s even more special that the director’s own voice and likeness are also included in the sequel.