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Edward Norton clears up Glass Onion fan theory about inspiration for Miles Bron character

Fans pointed out a crucial shot linking Norton’s Miles Bron character with another tech boss

Nicole Vassell
Wednesday 04 January 2023 15:27 GMT
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Mural with Kanye West lookalike appears in 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery'

Edward Norton has confirmed a fan theory that connects his Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery character to former biotech CEO Elizabeth Holmes.

The actor plays the role of Miles Bron, an obnoxious tech entrepreneur who invites a group of friends to his remote Greek island for an escape during the early stages of the pandemic, in the recently released sequel to Knives Out.

Many viewers drew comparisons between Bron and Elon Musk, Twitter’s CEO, but writer and director Rian Johnson has claimed that any resemblance is unintentional.

However, a shot in the film has also caused some fans to connect Bron to Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the now-defunct health company Theranos.

Holmes had claimed to revolutionise blood testing with a single finger prick, but the truth about these assertions came into question years later. In November 2022, a district judge sentenced her to 11 years and three months in prison for fraud.

The familiar shot in question shows Bron holding up a napkin bearing a detailed diagram.

Last month, a fan posted the film still alongside a photo of Holmes looking at a pill in between her fingers in a similar fashion, and added the caption: “My favourite reference in Glass Onion.”

On Wednesday (4 January), Norton commended the eagle-eyed viewer’s discovery on Twitter, while adding a minor correction.

“Well-spotted but our reference photo was actually this one,” Norton’s tweet began, attaching a different image of Holmes, holding a pill and looking at it closely.

Adding an emoji of a face blowing a kiss, Norton continued: “(Took a lot of tries to get that weird ‘crossed eye while trying to project seriousness’ just right!)”

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Fans of the film were quick to respond to this additional piece of behind-the-scenes information.

“I think you nailed the essence of Elizabeth Holmes,” replied one, while another added: “Attention to detail like a total pro! You love to see it.”

Edward Norton as Miles Bron in ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ (John Wilson/Netflix)

Norton’s many attempts to mirror Holmes’s expression also didn’t go unnoticed by another amused viewer, who wrote: “Haha! You totally nailed it though. I spit my drink out when this photo came on screen because I instantly recognized it.”

Elsewhere, another fan noted that this piece of strange Glass Onion trivia “just made it a must-watch”.

Glass Onion boasts an ensemble cast that includes Daniel Craig, Janelle Monae, Kate Hudson and Kathryn Hahn.

As of Wednesday (4 January), it is the third most-watched film in Netflix history.

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