No one told you about Perlman because it's a surprise. Otoh, he's in a lot Del Toro films, so it's not completely out of the blue, either. And wasn't he a fun character, in a really snazzy outfit?

I just got my Yuletide assignment, and yet again it is three fandoms I've never heard of, and one I can write. At least it's not like the year where my match really wanted someone to get eaten by a dinosaur.