Is Glenn Close in the Booking.com Commercial?
A deep dive into a surprising cameo and what it means for the ad campaign
(By Carmichael Phillip)
Yes — Glenn Close Makes a Cameo in the 2024 Booking.com Ad
Booking.com (ft. Tina Fey, Glenn Close, Jane Krakowski & Jack McBrayer) Super Bowl LVIII Commercial
Yes — Glenn Close does appear in a Booking.com commercial, specifically the 2024 Super Bowl spot headlined by Tina Fey. In the ad, Fey hires a cast of “body doubles” to portray alternate versions of herself (e.g. “Splurgy Tina,” “Rustic Tina”), only to be surprised when one of the doubles turns out to be Glenn Close in a Tina-Fey wig.
In a key moment, Fey sees “Wild Tina” riding a horse, pauses, and then says in disbelief:
“Glenn Close?”
That surprised acknowledgement is part of the comedic twist in the ad.
Thus, Glenn Close’s appearance is intended as a playful surprise cameo, leveraging her iconic status and the absurdity of a famous actress playing a “body double” of another famous actress.
The Creative Role of Glenn Close: Playing “Wild Tina”
In the 2024 Booking.com ad, Glenn Close portrays the persona dubbed “Wild Tina.” In keeping with the campaign’s premise that users can “book whoever they want to be,” Fey’s body doubles represent different vacation selves, and Close’s “Wild Tina” embodies the adventurous, untamed side.
“Wild Tina” is shown riding a horse on a rural property, then dramatically removing a wig to reveal it’s Glenn Close beneath — a moment that plays for shock, comedic effect, and to emphasize the range of personas one might explore through travel. Fey is taken aback, saying “That’s my line!” to heighten the playful rivalry.
From a branding perspective, Close’s appearance adds star power and surprise, reinforcing that the campaign isn’t just about booking lodging — it’s about stepping into different selves and identities.
How the Booking.com Campaign Frames Her Cameo
The Booking.com 2024 ad campaign is explicitly built around the tagline: “Book whoever you want to be.” Fey mulls aloud, “With so many choices on Booking.com, there are so many Tina Feys I could be,” and proceeds to hire “Body Devils” — a tongue-in-cheek agency that provides body doubles to enact these persona variations.
In that structure, Glenn Close’s role is framed not as a star “guest” but as one of many doubles — a surprise twist in that constellation. Because the campaign premise already allows for eccentric doubles, the presence of Close is consistent with the ad’s internal logic: she is just another Tina variant.
Importantly, Booking.com’s press release confirms the cameos. The company highlights that the campaign features “talented Tina Fey and surprising cameos by Glenn Close, Jane Krakowski, and Jack McBrayer” to bring the creative vision to life.
So Close’s cameo is not incidental or misattributed — it is formally part of the campaign’s design.
Public and Media Reaction to the Glenn Close Appearance
When Booking.com dropped news of the 2024 Super Bowl ad, media outlets highlighted the unexpected pairing of Tina Fey and Glenn Close. Skift described it as “Booking.com is back … this time in 2024 with the ad starring Tina Fey and Glenn Close.”
Entertainment publications also spotlight the humor of Close donning a Tina-style wig and entering the symmetry of body doubles. In Entertainment Weekly, they point out how Fey is taken aback when she recognizes Close in drag, asking: “Glenn Close?”
On forums and social media, some viewers expressed amused surprise and curiosity:
“But was there some reason Glenn Close was a body double?”
The cameo prompted commentary about the casting choice — why bring in a heavyweight actress like Close for a short wink of a role? The consensus: it adds star intrigue, narrative surprise, and tongue-in-cheek tension.
Critics also see the moment as aligning with Booking.com’s larger branding push: not just selling places to stay, but selling identities, desires, escapism. Close’s stature lends gravitas (and a chuckle) to that framing.
Conclusion
So yes — Glenn Close is indeed in a Booking.com commercial. Her cameo in the 2024 Super Bowl ad is deliberate, playful, and woven into the campaign’s concept as the “Wild Tina” persona. While Tina Fey remains the primary face of the campaign, Close’s appearance amplifies the ad’s ambition to treat travel as a means of inhabiting different selves.
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