Who voices the octopus in The Boys season 4?

The Deep’s aquatic lover is back in the fourth season—and she has a voice. Spoilers ahead for episode 1.

Akhil Arora, a Film Critics Guild member and a Rotten Tomatoes-certified TV critic, who has been reporting on Prime Video originals since 2016. He has written for NDTV and SlashFilm.

Susan Heyward, Colby Minifie, Chace Crawford in The Boys season 4
Susan Heyward as Sister Sage, Colby Minifie as Ashley Barrett, and Chace Crawford as the Deep in The Boys season 4 // Photo: Jasper Savage/Prime Video

“We got to talk about the octopus in the room.” In the first episode of The Boys season 4, aside from all the mayhem being caused by Homelander (Antony Starr) and his new buddy Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), there’s room for some light-hearted moments too. Early in the premiere, we are shown part of a recorded TV interview from a fictional daytime talk show called One on One with Hailey Miller. In it, the Deep (Chace Crawford) is trying to save face after his former wife Cassandra Schwartz wrote a tell-all book. (Said book—In 2 Deep: My Journey 2 Freedom—was mentioned late into season 3.) The Deep claims that there were no relations with an octopus.

“It’s just a racist rumour and a ridiculous lie perpetuated by a jilted and emotionally unstable hysterical woman. Who has, to be clear, pooped in my bed,” the Deep adds. As we exit the television and return to The Seven’s meeting room in The Boys season 4 episode 1, Vought CEO Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie) asks the Deep point blank if the octopus is gone. Apologetically and somewhat drowning in shame, the Deep says that she—sorry, it—is taken care of. But later in the same episode, we learn that’s not true at all.

Tilda Swinton voices the octopus in The Boys

With the Deep recovering from the trauma of doing Homelander’s bidding, we hear a non-bodied voice who consoles him. The Deep then gets up from his bed, opens the door to his bedroom closet, and moves his clothes out of the way. The voice continues: “What if we just left? We could vanish under the waves forever. Everyone there loves you for you, as the sweet, sensitive, really strong swimmer you are.”

At this point, two things are abundantly clear. The octopus—her name is Ambrosius, as we learnt in season 3—is alive and well. And not in some far-off ocean but right in the Deep’s closet. Living in a tiny secret aquarium tucked behind his clothing rack. Second, Ambrosius is voiced by the dulcet tones of Tilda Swinton. I must commend The Boys on the casting choice, for it’s both pleasing and hilarious. Swinton is playing an octopus—not a sentence I thought I would be writing in 2024.

To superhero fans, Swinton is best known as the bald Ancient One from Doctor Strange and Avengers: Endgame. Of course, her filmography is far more varied. She had an excellent double role last year as an elderly mother and her middle-aged daughter in The Eternal Daughter. In 2023, Swinton was also seen in David Fincher’s action thriller The Killer on Netflix. Swinton has previously voiced an animal—in Wes Anderon’s Isle of Dogs, she voiced a pug.

There’s more to the octopus scene. As the Deep sits down and looks at her, she adds: “We wouldn’t have to hide our love anymore. We could just be Kevin and Ambrosius.” The Deep then moves his finger and touches one of her tentacles through the glass.

The Boys season 4 episodes 1–3 are now streaming on Prime Video.

Akhil Arora
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