Yes, That's Cheryl From 'Miss Congeniality' In 'The Politician' Season 2
The Politician has a lot going for it, but one of the most standout aspects of the Netflix dramedy is its all-star cast. In addition to series regulars — including Ben Platt (Payton Hobart), Gwyneth Paltrow (Georgina Hobart), Bette Midler (Hadassah Gold), and Zoey Deutch (Infinity Jackson) — there is also a fantastic cameo appearance in Season 2 that simply cannot be overlooked. Heather Burns, who plays Mary McCutcheon, brings The Politician's star-power to a new level in Season 2.
Warning: Spoilers for The Politician Season 2 follow. Payton's state Senate race against Dede Standish (played by another icon, Judith Light) in Season 2 brought even more characters into the fold. While Dede was running against Payton, she was also being vetted by Texas senator Tino McCutcheon (Sam Jaeger) as a potential vice president pick for his next-term presidential run. But, while McCutcheon was courting Standish, he was getting cozy with Georgina at the same time. Although Tino was technically married, he assured Georgina his wife Mary McCutcheon — who was in a coma due to a bad case of trichinosis — would never wake up, saying he was free to pursue other relationships.
However, in true Ryan Murphy fashion, Mary McCutcheon shocked everyone when she randomly woke up from her coma, and immediately called a press conference to bring her husband down.
In her statement to the press, Mary revealed she could hear her husband saying terrible and ridiculous things to her while she was in the coma. He encouraged her to "walk into the light," and bragged to his incapacitated wife about his sexual escapades with Georgina. She revealed she was divorcing Tino, and his hopes of becoming the president quickly became compromised.
The hilariously calm and unfiltered way in which Mary made her big announcement couldn't have been pulled off by just anyone. Luckily, the creators of The Politician had a great candidate for the role: Heather Burns. Burns has a long history in Hollywood, but is perhaps most recognizable from her performance as Cheryl Frasier (aka Miss Rhode Island and Miss United States) in the Miss Congeniality movies. Her candid public-speaking scene as Mary definitely has a similar vibe to her legendary "April 25th" answer during Cheryl's onstage interview — though Cheryl would definitely blush at Mary drawing out the words "sexual conquests."
You may also recognize Burns from some of the other classic movies she's been in, such as 1998's You've Got Mail and 2002's Two Weeks Notice. More recently, she guest-starred in the TV series Blindspot.
The Politician Season 2 is on Netflix now.
