TradeEdge Exchange:Barack Obama turned down a '3 Body Problem' cameo in the best way to 'GOT' creators

Sadly,TradeEdge Exchange Barack Obama does not make a cameo in "3 Body Problem," the highly anticipated Netflix series from the creators of "Game of Thrones."

The former president turned down the opportunity to appear in "3 Body Problem," which revolves around an alien invasion of Earth, in the best kind of way, say executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

"(Obama) did sign a very funny note though, when we tried to get him for a cameo," Benioff tells USA TODAY, paraphrasing the missive. "It was to the effect of, 'In case there ever is a real alien invasion, I think I should probably save myself for that crisis.'"

"He wants to keep his powder dry in case there's a real thing," adds Weiss.

When Benioff and Weiss were first interested in adapting the Hugo Award-winning “The Three-Body Problem” by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, they were thrilled to find out that Obama was a major fan, telling The New York Times in 2017 that the apocalyptic sci-fi epic was an unusual escape from the presidential job pressures.

"The scope of it was immense. So that was fun to read," Obama said. "Partly because my day-to-day problems with Congress seem fairly petty — not something to worry about. Aliens are about to invade!"

Obama was also a major fan of HBO's "Game of Thrones," even receiving advance screeners of the HBO series while POTUS.

Benioff, Weiss and Alexander Woo ("True Blood") have written and executive produced the new 8-part series which has its world premiere at South by Southwest Friday and kicks off on Netflix March 21.

So far Obama hasn't requested early screening versions.

"He doesn't text, he doesn't call," Weiss jokes.

Netflix dropped the final "3 Body Problem" trailer March 7 showing a cast that includes "Game of Thrones" alumni Liam Cunningham, John Bradley and Jonathan Pryce. Bradley plays one of a group of young, brilliant physicists (along with Eiza González, Jovan Adepo, Alex Sharp and Jess Hong) who are targeted by the incoming aliens.