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Daniel Craig on his queer Knives Out character: ‘it just made sense’

Daniel Craig doesn't "want people to get politically hung up on anything," referencing his character's sexuality.

By Emily Maskell

Daniel Craig as queer detective Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Daniel Craig as queer detective Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Image: Netflix)

Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, sees Daniel Craig return as Benoit Blanc, a canonically queer detective.

Ahead of the new film’s release, Rian had confirmed that the detective was “obviously” queer and there seems to be a nod to this special someone in Benoit’s life in the new film… no spoilers!

The 2019 film followed Benoit Blanc trying to solve the murder of elderly Boston crime novelist Harlan Thrombey after his 85th birthday celebrations. 

However, Glass Onion sees a tech billionaire’s party on a private Greek island go from a dream to a horror when a body is found – a different setting but with the same detective.

The former Bond star recently echoed the director’s sentiment and shared “it’s all good,” to Deadline on the news that Blanc is gay.

“The less of a song and dance we make about that, the better, really, for me, because it just made sense,” Craig shared with the trade publication recently. “And also, as I said at the LFF, who wouldn’t want to live with the human being that he happens to live with?”

He also added that the character’s sexuality isn’t a huge talking point of the film, it’s just happenstance.

“It’s nice, it’s fun. And why shouldn’t it be?” he continued. “I don’t want people to get politically hung up on anything.”

On the topic of his character, Daniel also revealed that Benoit is “genuinely interested in human stories, in people, and what they’ve got to say.” He described his character as “incredibly curious” and “kind,” and noted that “he may want his suspects to hang themselves, but he does it by being open.”

Glass Onion currently sits pretty with a 93 percent rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, just behind the original’s 97 percent score.

The film stars Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is in select UK cinemas from 23 November and on Netflix 23 December.