Glass Onion, the sequel to Rian Johnson’s hit 2019 murder mystery film Knives Out, has finally arrived on Netflix to generally positive reviews.
The movie sees Daniel Craig return as the sleuth Benoit Blanc, surrounded by a host of new characters played by Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, Leslie Odom Jr, Jessica Henwick and Madelyn Cline.
In addition to this cast of eccentric wealthy people, Glass Onion also features a number of high-profile celebrity cameos. Some are obvious, and others you may not have noticed. Here’s a rundown of all the celebrity cameos in the Rian Johnson-directed movie...
8 Yo-Yo Ma Makes An Appearance In Glass Onion
Celebrated classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma makes an appearance in Glass Onion at Birdie’s (Hudson) party near the start of the film. He is the person who spots the tune being emitted from the puzzle box.
Although he is known for playing with some of the best orchestras in the world, Ma has also delved into folk, bluegrass and tango. It’s not the first time the cellist has made a screen cameo. Ma has previously appeared in The Simpsons, Arthur, Frasier and The West Wing.
"So Yo-Yo basically was on green screen and taking to a tennis ball, which is a high degree of difficulty," Rian Johnson explained. "He has to come into the shot, eat the pizza, and do his whole explanation, and he did a really good job."
7 Ethan Hawke Makes A Cameo Appearance In Glass Onion
Ethan Hawke's cameo in Glass Onion is easy to miss. The Oscar-nominated actor plays the man working for Miles Bron when the guest prepares to board the boat to the private island. He silently offers the guests a dose of what appears to be an instant-effect Covid vaccine.
This small role was not planned in advance. Hawke was nearby shooting Moon Knight in Budapest and flew to Greece for a day to do it. Hawke has been nominated for four Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award. He is known for his roles in Training Day, Boyhood and Gattaca.
6 Serena Williams Is In Glass Onion
This one is a little harder to miss. Tennis legend Serena Williams can be seen offering virtual fitness lessons to Blanc and Helen in the gym. The pair hide in the gym and she appears in the background in what initially appears to be an advert. Suddenly, the poster talks and the ad is in fact a live feed. Startled, the pair decline the GOAT's office, and she shrugs.
Williams is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. She was ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for 319 weeks, including a joint-record 186 consecutive weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. Over her career, she won 23 Grand Slam singles titles.
5 Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Voice Is In Glass Onion
Inception actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes a vocal cameo in the film. He voices the dong sounds that ring out across the private island every hour. The actor appeared 3rd Rock From The Sun as a teen before making appearances in 50/50, 500 Days of Summer and 10 Things I Hate About You.
The Dark Knight Rises actor is a friend of director Rian Johnson. Gordon-Levitt appeared in two of Johnson's early films (Brick and Looper). He has also recorded cameos for The Brothers Bloom, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Knives Out.
4 Natasha Lyonne Makes Appearance In Glass Onion
We meet Benoit Blanc wallowing in the bath playing a round of the deduction-based video game Among Us. Natasha Lyonne is best known for her roles in Orange is the New Black and Russian Doll.
One of the stars is Natasha Lyonne of this Zoom call. She is set to star as a detective in Poker Face, an upcoming TV show created by Glass Onion director Rian Johnson.
3 Stephen Sondheim Has A Cameo In Glass Onion
The musical theater icon Stephen Sondheim, once co-wrote a mystery film called The Last of Sheila. The composer is best-known works which include Company, A Little Night Music (1973), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sunday in the Park with George and Into the Woods.
"He was a puzzle and mystery nut," the director, Rian Johnson explained. "He co-wrote, with Anthony Perkins, The Last of Sheila, which our film takes a huge page from in terms of the setup. And a lot of people don't know [it's] the only straight play he ever wrote that wasn't a musical was a whodunit."
"I had heard through the grapevine that Stephen had seen the first movie and had enjoyed it," Johnson explained. "Before I knew it, I was getting calls from Stephen Sondheim asking when I could hop on the Zoom. It was really as quick and simple as that. He was at his house, and he had blurred out the background. And I got on the Zoom with him, we got to chat for about 15 minutes. I feel so thankful that I got a chance to tell him what his work meant to me in my life. He couldn't have been lovelier, and he was so game for doing this little cameo. It brings me so much joy that he's in the movie."
2 Angela Lansbury Is Part Of Glass Onion
Angela Lansbury, who died in October, was best known as the star of the murder mystery series Murder, She Wrote. She has had an illustrious career on screen with roles in career on stage and screen, appearing in The Manchurian Candidate, Nanny McPhee and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber the Fleet Street. She also voiced characters in animated movies like Beauty and the Beast and Anastasia.
"With Angela Lansbury, she's extraordinary in so many ways in her connection to the genre," Rian Johnson told EW.
1 Kareem-Abdul Jabbar Joins Glass Onion In Small Cameo
Basketball legend Kareem-Abdul Jabbar is also on that Zoom call, playing Among Us with Benoit in Glass Onion. Often considered the best player of all time, Abdul-Jabbar was a record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), a record 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA Team member, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member.
This isn't his first cameo in a movie. His other on-screen cameos include Dave, BASEketball, D2: The Mighty Ducks, Fletch and Airplane.