Rian Johnson explains the surprise Knives Out actor cameo, Noah Segan, in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Glass Onion follows Benoit Blanc as he is pulled into yet another mystery. This time, surrounded by a dysfunctional group of wealthy friends on a Greek island, Blanc will once again be on the hunt for a killer when everyone is a suspect with secrets to hide. The only returning character from Knives Out in Glass Onion is Daniel Craig's detective Benoit Blanc, but he isn't the only actor returning to the franchise.
Segan, who played one of the detectives in Knives Out, will return to Glass Onion, but this time he will be playing an entirely different character. While the Knives Out franchise features different actors and new characters in each movie, Johnson's desire to include Segan has created a fun Easter egg for fans to spot. During an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Johnson shared why he included Segan in Glass Onion after he played a different character in Knives Out. He explains what inspired the idea to make him a different character and if he believes people will pick up on the cameo.
Derol was one of the funniest characters, just because he popped up so randomly every once in a while.
Rian Johnson: I love it. Yeah, [Noah Segan, who plays Derol] is one of my best friends. He's been in every movie I've ever made. And I wonder if people are going to recognize him from Knives Out, because he was one of the cops in Knives Out. When I was like, "Yeah, we're just going to put Noah in as a different character." My producer was like, "People will recognize him." I'm like, "I don't think they will."
How Glass Onion's Cameos Elevate The Film
Johnson's desire to keep his streak of including Segan in every one of his movies even after he appeared in Knives Out is understandable and presents a unique challenge for the director. Finding a way to incorporate Segan into Glass Onion, but in a role where he wouldn't be easily recognizable, which fits into Johnson's desire to include numerous stars in smaller cameo roles. Glass Onion is chock full of surprising cameos, including Hollywood stars, professional athletes, and more. While Glass Onion has a star-studded cast, the cameos are just as impressive, fun, and surprising.
Glass Onion shows Johnson's desire to not only dive into the whodunit mystery genre but also his interest in playing with the audience. Both Knives Out and Glass Onion rely on mysteries full of twists and characters with secrets to hide, but now Johnson has incorporated at least one Easter egg, setting the stage for even more. Johnson can keep the stories separate, other than Benoit Blanc, while still bringing in actors that have appeared in the previous films. Segan could set a precedent not just for himself but for other cast members as well.
Segan could become a recurring Easter egg for fans to spot potentially appearing in Knives Out 3 and Johnson's upcoming Peacock series Poker Face. The Knives Out franchise is perfectly set up to incorporate Easter eggs for eagle-eyed fans to spot. With Benoit Blanc as the only true connective tissue between Knives Out, Glass Onion, and Knives Out 3, Johnson could bring back actors like Segan that appear throughout the franchise as well as callbacks to Benoit's previous cases.