Rian Johnson: Knives Out’s Benoit Blanc is gay, “obviously”
At the London Film Festival, Glass Onion director Rian Johnson confirmed the sexuality of Daniel Craig's character
Aux News Knives Out
Rian Johnson was reportedly super protective of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery spoilers during a London Film Festival Q&A, keeping the puzzle box plot details on lock ahead of the December 23, 2022 premiere on Netflix. But there was one thing the director was willing to confirm regarding the franchise’s central character, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig): the Southern detective’s sexuality. Asked directly if Blanc is gay, Johnson replied, “Yes, he obviously is,” per Insider.
This is not, as one might fear, a writer’s post-game retcon á la J.K. Rowling and Dumbledore, nor is it based solely on Blanc’s canonical love of showtunes. Instead—minor spoilers for Glass Onion here—the question was prompted by a brief scene in the film in which the gumshoe is depicted living with another man, reportedly one of the movie’s fun cameos. “There’s nobody in the world I can imagine in bringing me more joy for Benoit Blanc to be with,” Johnson teased of the mystery actor. Craig himself added: “No spoilers [but] who wouldn’t want to live with that person?”
How do you like that, Holmes and Watson shippers? Naturally, this glimpse at Blanc’s personal life takes a backseat to the game that’s afoot, but there’s plenty of time for more development of the detective’s character. Netflix has a deal for at least one more Knives Out mystery, and Craig is on board for way more Benoit. “I’d work with him [the] rest of my life,” the actor said of his collaboration with Johnson at the LFF (per Deadline).
For Sky News, Johnson reflected on the pair’s partnership: “There is a lot of giggling that happens between us when we’re shooting, I mean, that’s the whole reason we’re here. That’s the real reason we’re keeping making these things is because on the first one we had so much fun together and just got along so well, and on this one it felt like it was maybe even more fun.”
“So we’ll see,” he continued. “[As] long as these keep being fun and as long as we feel like we can find a different thing to do each time to keep surprising the audience and keep it fresh, we’ll keep making these.”
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It’s Mini-Truman Capote!
“I’ll give room service a jangle and have them send up some etouffee.”
“Velvet or velveteen. A gentleman must know the difference.”
All time KotH episode.
Eight AM and already the boy’s not right.
Loved Knives Out, can’t wait for Glass Onion, but honestly, so far the most interesting thing about the character of Blanc is the meta question of who’s playing his partner. “Rian Johnson Mystery” is the selling point for me, not Benoit Blanc. I am hopeful that this movie changes that.
If Blanc was interesting, he’d pull focus from the ensemble.
That may be so, but a character who is justifiably bland is still bland.
I’m thinking it’s Mark Hamill.
That was my first thought, but for some bizarre reason with the line, “Who wouldn’t want to live with that person” my next guess was Paul Rudd. Though, given Craig isn’t himself gay, it’d be nice if it ends up being an actual gay actor playing his partner. And if that’s the case, my vote is Ian McKellen. Though it’d be kind of a funny little wink if it’s Ben Wishaw, given the Bond connection. Or Andrew Scott, given the whole Moriarty thing, so a southern Holmes having Moriarty as a partner would be another fun wink.
It’ll be probably Joseph Gordon-Levitt, he’s starred or at the very least he’s had a voice cameo in every movie Johnson has directed.
That’s what just dawned on me, as well. It feels obvious given he famously appears in every Rian Johnson movie in some form.
I figure it’s an already-publicized “fun cameo” by someone who would suit Blanc.
“I say, I say it’s a POKE, son! Anal, that is…”
Ok, I learned my lesson last time. It’s just Paul Bettany painted white, right?
Wait a minute, I thought Paul Bettany was already white.
Not white enough for Disney?
The pendulum will swing back and Bettany will play the lead in The Little Mermaid.
yeah, but as The Da Vinci Code and the last episode of WandaVision taught us, he can always be whiter.
Guess it wasn’t that obvious.
Weird….first thing I thought was they were lampooning a Tennessee Williams type character with the affectations and sorta implied sexuality. Craig seems to revel in doing sendups of weird Southern characters. Between Bonoit and the hilarity of Joe Bang in Logan Lucky the dude just eats the scenery whenever he appears (and good christ, people need to watch Logan Lucky if you never saw it.)
Love that he turns out to be basically a redneck wizard in that movie.
Two men living together isn’t obvious? Seems pretty obvious.
Obvious to someone who has seen the movie, perhaps.
As opposed to??Your comment is basically “No one sees it unless they look at it”.
yeah.
yeah.
yeah. She Loves You.
yeah. She Loves You.
Jinx! (Now you can’t comment until someone says your name)
There were 4 minutes between us saying the same thing.I knew you weren’t bright. But you don’t even know the rules to jinx???This may also confirm a theory I have… because surely someone who had friends in real life as a child would know the rules to such a basic game.
Well, funny enough, I didn’t think about it or wonder, or care. Great that he is? I’m sure I’m a monster of some kind for not caring?
Have a cookie.
My vote for Blanc’s partner is Leslie Jordan.
You can just tell how much joy there was in writing and making Knives Out. I’m so glad these movies exist.
As a pansexual, non-binary person – and therefore a someone with a lot of experience of understanding the spectrum of gender and sexuality – I’ve found that the only way for me to know if a man is gay is if that man says “I am gay”.
shhh we don’t ask clarifying questions in 2022
Is it the next James Bond?
Maybe it’s a past James Bond! Pierce Brosnan has been doing a lot of fun cameos/supporting roles lately.
That would be fantastic!
What makes us think it’s either of their first times?
the question was prompted by a brief scene in the film in which the gumshoe is depicted living with another man
Nah, needs someone to keep him sharp.
If anyone actually wants to know who it is see below……………………………………It’s Hugh Grant! Got a huge laugh.
Not so obvious, not when he spent so much of the first movie talking about donuts (as everyone knows, the straightest of pastries)
“donuts (as everyone knows, the straightest of pastries)“Because of the hole?
Got it in one.
Why is it obviously? He is talking about most people have not seen yet.
You don’t want to know what the alphabet world means by, “Glass Onion.”
I don’t understand why his sexuality is germane to the story being told in either film?