“I Always Have To Laugh At Myself”: Isaiah Mustafa’s Refreshing Return as Old Spice Guy in Super Bowl & His Excitement for Cross Season 2 Explained

Isaiah Mustafa is reprising his famed role as the Old Spice Guy in Instacart’s debut Super Bowl commercial. Although he never officially retired from this iconic character, Mustafa’s appearances have been less frequent over the past decade as he explored avenues in film and television, including notable roles in Freeform’s Shadowhunters and It Chapter Two. The fact that this new ad coincides with the 15th anniversary of Mustafa’s association with the character makes this occasion particularly special for him.

For its first foray into Super Bowl advertising, Instacart is pulling out all the stops. The grocery delivery service has enlisted a lineup of legendary brand mascots including Mr. Clean, the Kool-Aid Man, and Chester Cheetah. The ad aims to highlight the extensive array of products available for delivery through the Instacart platform. Alongside the commercial, Instacart will offer unique promotions, including the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile making special deliveries in New Orleans and the cities of this year’s Super Bowl contenders, Kansas City and Philadelphia.

In anticipation of the Big Game ad campaign, ScreenRant had the opportunity to interview Isaiah Mustafa. He shared insights about returning to the whimsical character, the excitement of collaborating with other well-known mascots, and his personal plans for celebrating the Super Bowl. Mustafa also touched on his potential return for a third installment of It, while expressing enthusiasm for audiences to experience the second season of Cross.

Mustafa Thrilled to Celebrate the Super Bowl as the Old Spice Guy

“I don’t like to make predictions…”

Mustafa’s participation in the Instacart advertisement is layered with significance as he celebrates his 15-year milestone as the Old Spice Guy, having first introduced the character shortly after Super Bowl XLIV. Interestingly, prior to his acting career, Mustafa was a professional NFL player, spending time on the practice squads for teams like the Tennessee Oilers, Oakland Raiders, and Seattle Seahawks. Despite this background in football, he prefers a low-key approach to Super Bowl predictions, enjoying the game from the sidelines:

Isaiah Mustafa: It’s nice to be on the sidelines and not actually in the game, though, because the character doesn’t have any pads on. He just has his towel or his signature shirt wrapped around his neck, so it’s nice to be a spectator for once.[Chuckles] I don’t like to make predictions, but I will say I think the Jolly Green Giant has a favorite that he likes, and I’m going to go ahead and go with his team. I’m assuming that team would be in green, but that’s the team that I’m hoping for, and pulling for. I’m a very simple person when it comes to snacks, just some chips, a little dip. Don’t double-dip, of course, we all know that. But I keep it simple, maybe a glizzy every now and then.[Laughs]

Reflecting on his return to the Old Spice character, Mustafa described it as “an honor”to immerse himself once again in the zany universe of the brand, especially for the Super Bowl. He humorously acknowledged some of the character’s antics, such as mounting a horse backwards:

Isaiah Mustafa: You know, I think anytime you get to be in a Super Bowl commercial, and in a Super Bowl commercial with so many other great spokespersons, or great spokes-entities, some of them aren’t real, it’s an honor. It’s always interesting. I’ve been doing it for 15 years, so it comes like second nature at this point when I do certain things. But I’ll be honest with you, every single time I get up on whichever horse is there, I always have to laugh at myself. I’m like, “This is what my job is, I guess. Get up on a horse sometimes backwards. This is too crazy.”

The Instacart Ad Launched Mustafa into New Experiences

“…there’s some really good Easter eggs that are popping out there.”

Isaiah Mustafa as Old Spice Guy on a horse talking to the camera in Instacart Super Bowl ad

In previous Old Spice campaigns, Mustafa often took center stage, except in commercials featuring Terry Crews. However, this Instacart Super Bowl ad introduces him alongside iconic mascots such as the Kool-Aid Man and Puppy Monkey Baby. While he remains tight-lipped on all details, he hints at exciting “Easter eggs”for long-time fans of Super Bowl commercials:

Isaiah Mustafa: Yeah, I’ll give you a couple, but you’re right, I don’t want to give them all away, because there’s some really good Easter eggs that are popping out there. There’s a big giant that might be green. Let’s see, there’s a pitcher of a tasty drink that might be bursting out, if that gives you any kind of clue.[Laughs] I just want to make sure I’m not saying anything out of school, but if that’s the case [I’m allowed to share more], then I’ll just go ahead and spill the beans, or, shall I say, spill the Heinz wiener dogs.

There’s Green Giant, Mr. Clean, Pillsbury Doughboy, the Energizer Bunny, myself and the Kool-Aid Man to name a few! And what amazing character commercial would be complete without Puppy Monkey Baby? I mean, come on.[Laughs] I’m just gonna let you know right now, the Pillsbury Doughboy is difficult. He doesn’t play well with others. I tried to touch his belly and just give him a little, “hoo-hoo!”, and he wasn’t having it. He doesn’t like to be touched on the belly, just word of warning.[Chuckles] No, it was super easy, super fun. Everyone was, even the Kool-Aid Man was composed and friendly.

Regarding the Old Spice Guy’s future beyond the Instacart ad, which Mustafa believes is long overdue for the service to make a significant impact, he remains open to reprising his role:

Isaiah Mustafa: Oh, it’s about time. I think Instacart, honestly, it’s their first Super Bowl commercial, and it’s a long time coming. I think they’re going to make a very, very big splash with it. I think what they’re doing with the commercial is — when you have a service like theirs, using all these different spokespeople, it’s tailor-made for what they do, the service they provide. So, I think it’s going to be a very cool little commercial that they have. I think people are gonna dig it, they’re gonna be like, “Oh, Instacart. I see what you’re up to. I see you.”Oh, yeah, it’s like the Batsignal. All I got to see is that Old Spice clipper in the sky and the fog light. I just see it up there, and I’ll be like, “Oh, okay, jump on the horse, sliding down the banister onto a horse, and ride out.”[Chuckles]

Mustafa Eager for Audiences to Experience Cross Season 2

“From what I saw, it’s different and just as good.”

Isaiah Mustafa as John Sampson talking to someone with Alex behind him in Cross

Looking to the future, one of Mustafa’s most anticipated projects is the second season of Cross. The show had been greenlit and filmed before the first season premiered to favorable reactions from both fans and critics. However, he currently lacks updates on when the new season will debut:

Isaiah Mustafa: I don’t know when it’s going to come out, and I haven’t heard about any teasers. I did do some ADR for it, so I suspect that everything’s getting finalized soon. From what I saw, it’s different and just as good. I’m looking forward for people to see it.

A significant plot development for season 2 involves the evolving connection between Mustafa’s character, John Sampson, and Kayla Craig, portrayed by Alona Tal. Their relationship deepens during the pursuit of the Fanboy Killer, only to reveal potential connections to him that will be vital in the next season:

Isaiah Mustafa: I think there’s definitely some new things that arise in season 2, but I think what you saw in that teaser, there’s gonna be a lot to play on that. I wish I could say more, but that’s it.[Laughs]

Reflecting on the promotional tour for Cross season 1, Mustafa humorously noted the challenges in keeping details straight between the two seasons:

Isaiah Mustafa: Yeah, it’s tricky, because sometimes, it can get confusing a little bit, because we just came off of season 2 when we started doing the press. But, we had our talking points.[Chuckles] We have a good PR team over there at Amazon, they’re very good at letting us know what to stick to, so I was confident in their hands.

Mustafa Open to IT 3 and Praises Welcome to Derry’s Expanding Lore

“You never know when you’ll see Mike Hanlon pop up…”

Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon in It Chapter 2

Mustafa’s role as Mike Hanlon in It Chapter Two elevated his career following his breakout as the Old Spice Guy. With the return of director Andy Muschietti, who is co-developing the prequel series Welcome to Derry, there are exciting prospects for further stories involving Mike and the Losers Club. Mustafa remains enthusiastic about the potential for an IT 3:

Isaiah Mustafa: I could never say never, especially with a franchise like IT. You never know when you’ll see Mike Hanlon pop up, and that’s the truth. But I’ve never thought that there wouldn’t be anything to continue the story. I think Welcome to Derry will continue the story in ways fans will really appreciate and really love. It’ll fill in some gaps. I was lucky enough to go on set while I was in Toronto, and Andy was directing the episode that I went to.

It was really, really cool to see those guys. No spoilers, though. I did not sign an NDA, but I know better than to say anything about what’s coming. I don’t even know if he was directing, I just saw him, he directed me into the building, that’s it.[Laughs] “Look at that. Look at that. Don’t talk about that. Oh, and then that right there? You didn’t see that.”

Overview of Instacart’s Super Bowl Commercial

Instacart’s 30-second Super Bowl advertisement, titled “We’re Here, ”unites beloved icons from America’s top grocery brands alongside notable figures from iconic past Big Game commercials, culminating in one extraordinary delivery made possible by Instacart.

The campaign emphasizes the dedicated service Instacart offers to its customers, built upon advanced grocery technology, a decade of robust partnerships with retailers and brands, and a vibrant community of over 600, 000 shoppers handling deliveries. Instacart has fulfilled more than 1 billion orders in just over 12 years, allowing customers to receive goods from their favorite brands in as little as 30 minutes from a network of over 85, 000 retailer locations across North America.

As part of the campaign, Instacart will feature the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile making deliveries in select cities, including New Orleans, Kansas City, and Philadelphia, leveraging the star power of mascots including Green Giant, Chester Cheetah, and the Kool-Aid Man.

Instacart is also offering enticing promotions for Game Day essentials during the lead-up to the Big Game:

Explore Instacart’s Week of FREE Game Day Snacks: From February 2–9, shop with Instacart to unlock rotating offers for free snacks with your order.(Terms apply.)
Check out the Game Day Essentials Collection: Enjoy discounts of up to 40% on popular snacks, drinks, and essential items available from February 2–9.

Super Bowl LIX will kick off on Sunday, February 9 at 6:30 p.m. EST, with the Instacart advertisement airing during the second quarter.

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