If you were exploring the Expo Hall at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 or watching the pitch stage earlier Tuesday, you might have been surprised to spot a familiar face from the world of tech satire—Thomas Middleditch. Best known for playing Richard Hendricks in HBO’s hit series Silicon Valley, Middleditch made a surprise appearance during the pitch showcase, stepping in to present on behalf of Australian startup Othelia, a company positioning itself as a Battlefield 200 competitor with a focus on narrative-driven multiplayer experiences. Middleditch took the stage during Othelia’s presentation, delivering a polished and humorous take on the company’s mission: to build a Cursor-like platform tailored for storytellers. His performance blended the show’s signature satirical tone with real insight into the evolving landscape of AI-powered creative tools. The audience responded warmly, with many recognizing the nod to the fictional Pied Piper and the show’s long-standing affection for TechCrunch Disrupt. Beyond the stage, Middleditch was photographed and briefly surrounded by attendees in the Expo Hall, drawing attention not only for his celebrity status but also for his genuine engagement with startups and emerging tech. He took a moment to speak with TechCrunch, sharing his thoughts on the conference, the rapid evolution of AI, and how he leverages AI platforms in his own creative work. Middleditch is the creator and host of Improv With Robots, a popular YouTube series that combines live improvisational comedy with AI-generated characters and dialogue. He revealed that he uses AI tools extensively—not just for scripting and voice generation, but to help shape the personalities and responses of the virtual performers, blurring the line between human creativity and machine intelligence. For Middleditch, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 felt like a full-circle moment. The show, which first aired in 2014, was set in a world where a small startup’s pitch at Disrupt could change the course of the tech industry. Now, years later, he’s not just a fan of the event—he’s a participant, using his platform to highlight the real innovation happening in the startup world, even as it continues to echo the satirical spirit of the show that made him famous.