Director Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is packed to the gills with famous faces. Not only does Daniel Craig reprise his Knives Out role as Benoit Blanc in the film, but the actors that fill out Glass Onion’s core cast also include Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Leslie Odom Jr., and Kate Hudson.
From the surprising members of Benoit Blanc’s Among Us crew to the detective’s domestic partner, Glass Onion also features more than its fair share of noteworthy celebrity cameos. With that in mind, here are all the major celebrities who briefly appear in Glass Onion, including one or two that even the most keen-eyed of viewers might have missed.
Spoilers ahead for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Hugh Grant
The title for Biggest Cameo in Glass Onion goes to Hugh Grant, who makes a brief blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance near the midpoint of the film when he opens the door of Benoit Blanc’s apartment to greet a hopeful client. Grant’s voice can also be heard earlier in Glass Onion when he calls out to Craig’s Blanc while the latter is playing Among Us in the bathroom.
Both Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig have confirmed in recent weeks that Benoit Blanc is, indeed, gay, and given the context of his appearances in the film, it’s clear that Grant was the actor chosen to play Blanc’s romantic partner in Glass Onion.
Stephen Sondheim
The late, great Stephen Sondheim was indirectly referenced in 2019’s Knives Out when Benoit Blanc took advantage of a private moment to sing a few lines of “Losing My Mind.” However, the legendary composer and lyricist actually appears early on in Glass Onion when Blanc briefly chats with his fellow Among Us players over Zoom. Sondheim, notably, isn’t the only musical theater legend who’s featured in Glass Onion’s early Zoom call, either.
Angela Lansbury
In addition to Sondheim, Angela Lansbury also appears in Glass Onion as one member of Benoit Blanc’s socially distanced Among Us crew. The Oscar and Tony Award winner, who is lovingly referred to as “Angie” by Craig’s Blanc, doesn’t say much during her Glass Onion scene, but her presence in the film alongside Sondheim is still enough to make a lasting impact.
Both Lansbury and Sondheim tragically passed away after filming their Glass Onion cameos, which means that their appearances in the murder mystery are also their last posthumous screen roles.
Natasha Lyonne
Orange is the New Black and Russian Doll star Natasha Lyonne also appears in Glass Onion during Benoit Blanc’s Among Us Zoom call. Lyonne, who plays herself, is tasked with having to hilariously explain the rules of Among Us to Daniel Craig’s perplexed detective. In addition to her role in Glass Onion, Lyonne is set to reteam with writer-director Rian Johnson on the upcoming Peacock murder mystery series, Poker Face.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Rounding out the participants of Benoit Blanc’s Among Us crew in Glass Onion is none other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Like Lansbury, Sondheim, and Lyonne, the basketball legend plays himself in the scene. His presence in Glass Onion doesn’t extend past his brief appearance early in the Netflix film, either, but that doesn’t make his cameo any less fun.
Yo-Yo Ma
Early on in Glass Onion, it’s revealed that none other than Yo-Yo Ma is in attendance at the penthouse party thrown by Kate Hudson’s Birdie Jay. The real-life cellist shows up as himself in the film and briefly offers his advice about how to solve a music-centric puzzle included in the mystery box that Miles Bron (Norton) sends to all of his closest friends at the start of Glass Onion.
Ethan Hawke
Ethan Hawke has, perhaps, the most confusing cameo in Glass Onion. The four-time Oscar nominee briefly takes over the film when he shows up as an unnamed employee of Edward Norton’s Miles Bron who is tasked with dosing all of Miles’ weekend guests, including Craig’s Benoit Blanc, with something that makes it so they don’t have to wear any masks throughout the rest of the film.
Hawke never appears again in Glass Onion, which only makes his brief appearance in the film even weirder.
Serena Williams
In one of Glass Onion’s oddest moments, Benoit Blanc and Helen Brand (Monae) sneak their way into one of Miles Bron’s private gyms only to find themselves standing next to a life-sized screen display of Serena Williams. Things get even weirder when the legendary tennis player then interacts with Benoit and Helen and reveals that she’s been hired by Norton’s Miles to provide virtual, live workout lessons.
Like many of the celebrities who appear in Glass Onion, Williams not only plays herself but her cameo is also limited to just one scene in the film.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has the smallest cameo in Glass Onion. The actor, who has appeared in every one of director Rian Johnson’s films since they first worked together on 2005’s Brick, is the voice behind the “Dong!” alarm that rings out every hour on Miles Bron’s private island.
His vocal role in Glass Onion is just the latest cameo that Gordon-Levitt has had in one of Johnson’s films, coming off his similarly blink-and-you’ll-miss-them appearances in The Brothers Bloom, Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi, and Knives Out.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is streaming now on Netflix.
