Rian Johnson & Josh O’Connor Discuss Faith And Religion In Knives Out 3

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Rian Johnson, the writer and director, and Josh O’Connor, a leading actor, talk about how their personal lives influenced their work on Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. While Johnson’s previous Benoit Blanc mysteries, Knives Out and Glass Onion, focused on wealth and greed, this new film explores a different type of power – the power of belief, the weight of guilt, and those who control them.

The film Wake Up Dead Man takes place in a small, close-knit village. Detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, joins forces with the kind-hearted Reverend Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) to clear Jud’s name and solve the seemingly impossible murder of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). But the mystery in Wake Up Dead Man goes beyond just who committed the crime.

The film Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery explores the complexities of faith and belief, and how differing viewpoints impact relationships. In an interview with ScreenRant, stars Daniel Johnson and Kerry O’Connor discussed how their own beliefs – or lack thereof – informed the dynamic between their characters, Jud and the skeptical Blanc. They shared how religion and differing worldviews shaped the connection between these two individuals.

The contrast between the characters of Jud and Blanc was a key inspiration for Johnson’s Knives Out story. As Johnson explained, “That dynamic was really central to why I wanted to write this story in the first place.”

I grew up very religious, but I’ve lost my faith now. Because of that, I feel like I have two different versions of myself inside me – the person I was when I believed, and the person I am now. It’s not that one of those versions controls the other, but rather that they’re always talking to each other.

The director explained, “Being able to write a scene where I can explore these thoughts through a character’s internal dialogue is a writer’s dream.” As the investigation takes on a more spiritual quality, both Jud and Blanc are challenged in their faith, which helps them understand each other better and strengthens their own religious beliefs.

Throughout the Knives Out movies, detective Blanc always connects with one of the main suspects. This is a key part of what makes Daniel Craig’s portrayal of Blanc so interesting – he gets personally involved. We see this with his trust in Marta (Ana de Armas) in the first film and his partnership with Andi (Janelle Monáe) in Glass Onion. However, his connection with Jud is more complicated, and it really highlights the movie’s main idea.

Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

O’Connor remembered his initial conversation with Rian Johnson while working on Wake Up Dead Man, noting they immediately delved into the film’s underlying religious themes. He explained, “Rian and I actually started by talking about that very topic.” O’Connor shared that his upbringing as an Irish Catholic, attending church regularly, led him to a personal faith, though he often struggles to define its purpose or place in the world.

I was so fascinated to hear O’Connor describe his scenes with Blanc as being like the inner dialogues we all have in our heads! He also shared something really insightful – he feels that every role he takes on somehow shapes who he is as a person. It’s amazing to think about how much of himself he brings to each character, and how those characters then stay with him.

O’Connor explained that playing different characters is a valuable learning experience. ‘You really get to understand people by stepping into their shoes,’ he said, ‘and Jud, a character I played, taught me a great deal.’

Joining Craig and O’Connor is a compelling group of characters, each drawn to Monsignor Wicks for different reasons. The cast includes Glenn Close as the deeply faithful Martha Delacroix, Jeremy Renner as the heartbroken Dr. Nat Sharp, Kerry Washington as the resentful lawyer Vera Draven, Andrew Scott as a former science fiction writer named Lee Ross, Cailee Spaeny as Simone Vivane, a cellist struggling with ongoing injuries, and Daryl McCormack as Cy Draven, an aspiring politician.

In “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” Jud and Blanc aren’t exactly welcomed with open arms by Monsignor Wicks’ devoted group, though Mila Kunis’ character, Chief Geraldine Scott, offers some assistance. This chilly reception is something they both experience.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is available to stream now, only on Netflix.

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2025-12-12 15:01