Questions for Benoît Blanc, the intrepid detective played by Daniel Craig in Netflix’s Murder Mystery Glass Onion: A Knife Out Mystery“Whodunit?”
The question to the viewer is, “Wait, was that all…?”
Writer-director Rian Johnson tells the story of eccentric billionaire Miles Bronn (Edward Norton) who invites his frenzy to a private island in Greece for a deadly dinner party. The movie was packed with several cameos.it’s in addition to an A-list main cast that includes Craig, Norton, Kate Hudson as a self-involved model designer, Janelle Monae in Star Turn as Bron’s bitter ex-business partner, and Kathryn Hahn as Governor of Connecticut.
“It was really important that they all come together in the right way,” casting director Mary Vernieu told PEOPLE of assembling the group.
Vernieu and her colleague Bret Howe (both from the original 2019 knife outtoo) to break down the big names.
Angela Lansbury, Stephen Sondheim, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Natasha Lyonne
Before flying off to Greece, Bran is seen playing a computer mystery game at home. in us With Lansbury, who died in October at the age of 96. Sondheim, who died in 2021 at the age of 91. Abdul-Jabbar, 75, and his Lyonne, 43, appear virtually on Blanc’s laptop screen.
“They all have to do with the mystery in some way,” says Vernieu.Indeed, Lansbury headlines murder, she wrotecomposer Sondheim is a big fan of the genre, basketball legend Jabbar has written a novel about Sherlock Holmes, and Lyonne is starring in Johnson’s upcoming Peacock Detective series. poker facewhich is like a throwback to “ colomboadds Vernieu.
Hugh Grant
Romantic comedy mainstay 62 answers Bran’s apartment door and reveals that his character Philip is the detective’s romantic partner. Vernier says several actors’ names were abused, but Grant was at the top of Johnson’s list.
yo yo ma
Johnson wrote 67, a 19-time Grammy Award-winning cellist, for a scene in which he plays a party guest who helps model designer Birdy (Hudson) open a puzzle-like invitation from Bronn. “It was definitely a unique process to get in touch with his people and find him,” says Howe, who says the musician “went all in” once he and his Vernieu did.
Ethan Hawke
As Bron’s guests gather at the dock and are transported to his island, a capable man briefly appears and appears to vaccinate the group, as Hawk’s character is credited. Hawk, 52, was able to shoot the scene because it was in production. moon knight In nearby Hungary, I was free to come to Greece for a day.
“The role was written, but it wasn’t written.” [Hawke]says Vernieu. Filming took place “during a pandemic” and “we really appreciate what Ethan was able to work out.”
Never Miss a Story—Sign Up PEOPLE’S FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER From juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories, stay up to date on the best PEOPLE has to offer.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Actor You’ve Heard But Never Seen, Age 41 — Has Worked With Johnson On Movies Like Brick When Looper— Provides the sound of the hourly gong on the island of Bron. “It’s Rian’s,” says Howe. “Joe is everything he does in one way or another.”
Serena Williams
At first glance, Williams looks like a poster hanging on Bronn’s gym wall. “You’re like, ‘What? She’s in there!’
After all, glass onion Williams has virtual workouts available at Bron’s home gym via fitness apps like Mirror. In the scene, she offers Bran a sweat session, but he is too engrossed in detective work with Monae’s character to oblige.
Landing Williams was especially great, Verneu says, because Johnson “was always a huge fan.” In the end, the writer-director “got everyone he wanted,” she says.
Glass Onion: A Knife Out Mystery Currently streaming on Netflix.
