Skip to main content

Several years ago, an unlikely online friendship formed between You star Penn Badgley and rapper Cardi B. Though the pair have never met in person, their online banter has continued over the years. Recently Badgley updated fans on his friendship with Cardi B and whether she has a role in the new season of You.

[WARNING: This article contains spoilers for You Season 4 Part 1 Episode 1.]

Split image of Penn Badgley and Cardi B. Badgley wears a red turtleneck and blazer and Cardi wears a blue dress.
Penn Badgley and Cardi B | Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images; Amy Sussman/Getty Images

How did Penn Badgley and Card B’s friendship begin?

Penn Badgley and Cardi B’s unlikely friendship began in October 2021 when the rapper excitedly retweeted a fan-shared video of Badgley admiring her social media presence.

“OOOOMMFFFGGGGGG HE KNOWS ME!!! OMMMGGGG!!!!!! Yoooo like I’m famous famous,” Cardi wrote on Twitter. Badgley retweeted Cardi, commenting a shocked “I-.” After that, the stars made each other their profile pictures on Twitter.

Later Cardi B received a gift in the mail from Joe Goldberg himself. She Tweeted a photo of the gift, wondering how Joe found her new house address.

‘You’ Season 4 features a song by Cardi B

The adorable Internet friendship between Penn Badgley and Cardi B has fans dying to see Cardi featured in an episode of Netflix’s You. The rapper herself has also expressed interest in appearing in the show in the past.

Netflix recently released the first five episodes of season 4, and though Cardi didn’t act in the new season, she did have one of her songs featured in the premiere episode. While Joe chops up Malcolm’s body, the song “I Like It” by Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin plays over the scene.

As for Penn Badgley, he would like for Cardi to appear in You, but finding the right role for her might be tricky. “Would I want her to be in You? Yeah, if it worked,” Badgley told The Rolling Stone. “I wanted her to be in season 4. But it has to work. You know? How could she be anybody but Cardi B?”

Related

‘You’ Season 4: How Many Episodes Are in Parts 1 and 2?

Badgley also updated fans on the pair’s friendship while sitting down for an interview from Netflix. “It’s been on ice for a while,” Badgley joked. “No, no. You know, we’ve never met in person. We tried to arrange something, but we’re both very busy people.”

Penn Badgley still wants Cardi B to appear in ‘You’

Penn Bagley has never made it a secret that he doesn’t like his character in You. He wants Joe to eventually answer for his crimes in some form or another.

“Punishment is important, but what form of punishment is actually effective? With Joe, the irony is that death is almost too easy for him,” Badgley told Vulture in 2021. In their recent interview with Badgley, The Rolling Stone proposed that Cardi B could be the one to kill Joe. The actor answered, “I don’t disagree.”

You Season 4 Part 1 premieres Feb 9, 2023, and Part 2 March 9, 2023, only on Netflix.

Best in Entertainment