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'Schitt's Creek' star Dan Levy makes surprise cameo in Super Bowl ad for M&M's

Forget mall pretzels, Levy is reaching for some M&M’s instead.
/ Source: TODAY

“I promise I will not eat any more of your friends.”

That’s the promise Dan Levy makes in his first Super Bowl ad for M&M’s. The Emmy Award-winning actor — who rose to fame in the Golden Globe-nominated “Schitt’s Creek,” and most recently appeared in the holiday rom-com “Happiest Season” — is back flexing his comedic muscle, this time in a 30-second ad made up of six hilarious vignettes.

In the ad's spot-on opening sequence, a man gets drenched by his beverage when another airplane passenger violently kicks his seat but then the offender offers a bag of M&M's as an apology. The rest of the ad includes funny exchanges like that, including one between two women, one of whom is named Karen. It all ends with Levy promising Ms. Brown and Ms. Green M&M that he won’t inhale another bag of the chocolate candies — all while Red yells from inside a car parked behind Levy.

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What does Dan Levy have against Red?
What does Dan Levy have against Red?M&Ms

"Wait, that is funny!" Sheinelle reacted after the ad premiered exclusively on the 3rd hour of TODAY.

"That's great!" Al agreed.

"I feel like Super Bowl ads are general this year. They've taken it up a notch, maybe it's the pandemic?" Craig observed.

"I know, a lot of humor," Al added.

Levy, who loves peanut M&M’s the most, told TODAY that he jumped at the chance to work with the beloved candy brand. “I think Super Bowl ads have such a place in pop culture, so to be approached by M&M to participate in this year's spot was so exciting. ... I read the script and it was so warm and positive and community-based and about bringing people together and that's sort of what I'm all about, so it was a very easy decision to make.”

Aside from being his first Super Bowl ad, the funny spot was another first for Levy, whose first acting credit was in the 2012 Lifetime movie “Cyberstalker.” “It was actually the first time that I had ever acted with the concept of an animated character being put in,” he explained. “And yet at the same time, I feel like what I loved about the M&M's box that I have long seen over the years is that you get such a strong sense of these characters.”

With such distinct personalities, Levy’s hard-pressed when asked to choose a favorite M&M character. “I would have to say Green. … And I feel like in a way I should also say Brown, because I feel like I don't want to make anyone upset by singling out a particular color. As you could see in the ad, Red and I have a very tumultuous relationship. You know, I'd like to say that at the end of the day I like them all. I guess I like Red the most, to be perfectly honest.”

It's hard to blame Levy when there are so many excellent options to choose from. The same might apply to all of the fantastic outfits he wore in "Schitt's Creek," which wrapped its sixth and final season last year and ended up sweeping the Emmy Awards for most wins for a comedy in one season. “When I left the show, I ended up taking like 10 sweaters home with me that are now in boxes in my basement. I couldn't let go of them. I have such a sentimental connection to the clothes because I feel like that's all that I have left of David."

“I don't know what I'm gonna do with those clothes but I do like the fact that I can go down there and look at them from time to time,” Levy said. "It's tough to pick a favorite but I just picked a handful.”

The upcoming "SNL" host also reflected on how David might be handling the coronavirus pandemic. “I think David is a character that, as particular as he is, he really enjoys being social. He likes, you know, getting dressed every day in very funny outfits and parading, and peacocking himself around town. The fact that he won't be able to do that or that he's stuck in the motel with his family, I think will be tough.

"I would hope at this point that he's living with Patrick. So, at least he doesn't have to worry about being with his entire family. But I will say as newlyweds, I can't see this pandemic being helpful for him and Patrick," he said with a laugh. "But I do trust that they'll be able to get through it.”

Levy will kick off all-new "SNL" tapings this month by checking off yet another first — making his hosting debut on Feb. 6 alongside musical guest Phoebe Bridgers. He's looking forward to making a mark on what he described as "one of the most iconic television shows in history."

"I think the work that Kenan's done over the years is so special and he's so comfortable and at ease in that spot considering it's live every week and then you have Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman, who just came in, like, really breathed such life into the show in these new, kind of interesting ways. I'm just excited to meet this cast,” Levy gushed.

He added, “I don't think anything really prepares you for 'SNL.' I think it's an experience unlike anything an actor has really experienced before, outside of, I suppose, theater in the sense that it's live. And I haven't really done theater since I was in high school so in a way, I suppose I'll be just going back to my high school live theater experiences.

“I really don't know what I'm stepping into so I'm trying my best to stay as zen as possible and just let it happen, and not overthink it and not get too nervous.”

CORRECTION (Feb. 3, 2021, 3:06 p.m.): An earlier version of this article misstated the first name of actor Kenan Thompson.