Woman with Stage 4 cancer wanted to meet the 'Severance' cast — so Ben Stiller showed up for her

Ben Stiller, the executive producer and director of the television series 'Severance,' recently was reminded how television can positively impact people's lives. When a hardcore fan, Emily Powell-Heaton, requested to meet the 'Severance' cast—a show that brought her happiness as she battles metastatic breast cancer—Stiller reverted.

Powell-Heaton had taken to X (formerly Twitter) and penned, "Hi @BenStiller! 'Severance' is the best show my husband and I have ever seen. I have stage 4 cancer. A great bucket list item to check off would be to meet you and any of the cast and crew from the show. We can fly anywhere. We live near Toronto, Canada. Would this be possible? Thanks for your help!" Initially, Powell-Heaton only got replies from trolls. But a few hours later, while having dinner with a friend, her phone lit up—it was a response from Stiller, as reported by TODAY. Stiller tweeted, "Please DM me."

Powell-Heaton immediately did as requested. Stiller shared that he was setting up a screening party for her and the cast in Los Angeles in a few weeks. 'Severance' actors Zach Cherry and Tramell Tillman met Powell-Heaton on March 6 in Toronto. Speaking of the show, she said, "It's just things that I think would make my life richer and fun. And I thought this show meant a lot to me. It's very comforting to me. It's a source of escapism, too. And so I thought, well, I will reach out and, you know, see what happens."

Overjoyed, she shared just how much meeting the cast meant to her. She recalled that she began watching the show in 2022 with her mother. As she eagerly awaited the next season, she introduced it to her husband—who soon became just as hooked. She said, "I love everything about it. I love the plot, I love the writing, costuming, set decoration, just everything about it is perfect to me." Although social media often can be brutal, the incident highlighted yet again the potential it has to bring people together.

As the tweets went viral, netizens applauded Stiller’s generosity and showered Powell-Heaton with love and support, as reported by GOOD. An X user (@KibandiFilms) commented, "While Emily’s story is heartbreaking, I think it’s great you are doing this Ben. Emily, I hope that you can overcome this and be triumphant in your battle." Another person (@JackStiefel) chimed, "Give that girl the royal treatment! What a great offer and opportunity!" As the comments poured in, one (@dr_eeks) simply read, "The good side of social media, love this!" Another (@MikeVega2408) added, "Changed my mind on Ben. Good stuff." A netizen (@22vap221) also gushed, "Awesome Ben. 'Severance' is a masterpiece! Can’t wait each week for the next episode! Congrats to you, the cast, and your production team!