Daniel Craig’s Knives Out character is ‘obviously’ gay, says director

The director of the popular film murder-mystery film Knives Out has confirmed that Daniel Craig’s character, Benoit Blanc, is “obviously” gay.

Rian Johnson, who has also directed the sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, confirmed the news at a press conference for Glass Onion at the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday (16 October)

As reported by Entertainment Weekly, when asked if Craig’s detective Benoit Blanc is gay Johnson replied: “Yes, he obviously is.”

EW also reports that Netflix and Johnson’s representatives have confirmed Blanc’s sexuality too.

Alluding to one scene which shows Blanc with a man in his home said to be played by a famous actor Johnson said: “There’s nobody in the world I can imagine in bringing me more joy for Benoit Blanc to be with.”

Craig also was asked about the casting for his character’s lover: “No spoilers [but] who wouldn’t want to live with that person?”

Glass Onion has not been billed as a direct follow-up to 2019’s Knives Out but it will see Daniel Craig return as suave southern sleuth Benoit Blanc.

A synopsis for the film reads: “Benoit Blanc returns to peel back the layers in a new Rian Johnson whodunit. This fresh adventure finds the intrepid detective at a lavish private estate on a Greek island, but how and why he comes to be there is only the first of many puzzles.”

The star-studded cast includes Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline with Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will be released in UK cinemas in November before landing on Netflix on 23 December.