The following contains spoilers for Eenie MeanieEenie Meanie‘s biggest cameo is surprisingly short and bloody, which was a big part of the fun for director Shawn Simmons. One of Eenie Meanie‘s most memorable minor characters is Leo, a poker player who works for the gangster Nico played by Randall Park. The chaos of the fun Eenie Meanie sets off when Edie’s ex-boyfriend tries to recruit Leo for a scheme — and the plan goes very off the rails, building to Leo trying to flee Edie and John, only to be struck by a truck and instantly killed.

It’s a surprising moment, especially given Randall Park’s popularity. That was a big part of the appeal of killing an Eenie Meanie character like that, according to director Shawn Simmons. During a Q&A with Screen Rant’s Ash Crossan at a screening of Eenie Meanie with Simmons and the film’s star Samara Weaving, Simmons addressed the sudden demise of Leo and why it works so well.

Shawn Simmons: There’s fun to be had in a movie where a guy shows up that you think, “That guy’s f–king amazing! He’s going to be in this whole movie.” And then… My son, the first time he saw the movie? It takes a lot with these kids on the computer all day to be moved by anything. But when that happened, he popped up from the couch and goes, “What the f–k?” He goes, “That guy was just in the movie for 10 minutes, and he’s f–king ᴅᴇᴀᴅ?” He was completely shocked by the whole thing. You want more Randall, no doubt, but it’s worth it.

What This Means For Eenie Meanie

Eenie Meanie‘s best cameo is Randall Park’s brief appearance as Leo, and his sudden death does a good job of establishing the film’s tone and habit of casually killing off named characters with sudden brutality. Despite having a broad sense of humor, Eenie Meanie is a thriller, relying on dramatic tension between the characters and potentially fatal consequences for their actions.

Although two minor characters had already been killed by the time of Leo’s death in Eenie Meanie, their demises were brief and played up the dark comedy of the film. Leo’s demise is not only more important to the actual narrative, but also highlights how characters with overt personalities, desires, and charming dynamics can be suddenly killed by a sudden and unexpected turn.

Our Take On Eenie Meanie’s Big Cameo

Shawn Simmons was right to give Eenie Meanie a harsher edge with Leo’s sudden demise, as it instantly raises the stakes for the rest of the cast. If someone as quickly charming as Leo can suddenly be killed off, it’s more likely that someone else could suffer a similar fate. This means characters like Edie and John don’t get to enjoy the typical safety that protagonists enjoy in films.

This natural sense of danger turns out to be a key element of the film, with multiple other characters steadily picked off over the course of the film. Leo’s death serves as an important tone-setter in that sense, ensuring that the audience watching Eenie Meanie are kept on the edge of their seat.