Paul Bettany has admitted to deceiving WandaVision fans for months by hyping a false surprise cameo.

The actor has been promoting a big cameo in the Marvel series that would surprise fans since late January. From Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange to Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier to Michael Fassbender’s Magneto, Bettany’s hint sparked numerous of ideas about which comic book figure would appear. Then there was the season’s penultimate episode, which featured a post-credits sequence depicting White Vision’s birth (played by Bettany). Many “WandaVision” fans were left wondering if the actor Bettany had been praising for weeks was indeed him.

Bettany opened up about it on Thursday’s episode of Good Morning America.

“You know when you think something’s gonna be funny, and you say it, and then you absolutely panic about it?” Bettany remarked. “Which is what I did, because fans started guessing who it might be, and they were guessing people like Benedict Cumberbatch or Patrick Stewart, and I was thinking, ‘God, that’s a good idea!’ And they’re gonna be so disappointed when they find out it’s me.”

Except for Michael Strahan, the anchors of Good Morning America were mainly happy with that response. If Paul Bettany was capable of teasing America once, he could surely do it again during that interview, according to the Super Bowl champion. Strahan inquired if a significant cameo was still planned for the WandaVision finale, but Bettany simply offered the following deflection:

“Well, you know I’d love to answer that question but my service keeps gli…[freezes]”

The controversy began when Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Wanda on the program, were asked if WandaVision had a hidden cameo similar to Luke Skywalker’s presence in The Mandalorian. Bettany and Olsen both confirmed that a cameo was in the works, with Bettany even praising the mystery actor as someone he had always wanted to work with.

“So many things get leaked,” Bettany remarked at the time, “but there’s this thing that has been completely under wrap that happens.” Bettany expressed delight that the spoiler had remained a mystery so far. “I work with this actor that I’ve always wanted to work with and we have fireworks together, the scenes are great and I think people are going to be really excited. I’ve always wanted to work with this guy and the scenes are pretty intense.”

The ninth episode of Disney Plus’ Marvel drama ended today (5 March), but not before dropping several Easter eggs for fans to decipher before Wanda’s reappearance in next year’s Doctor Strange sequel.