Knives Out - Characters & Cast

Blanc is motivated by an unwavering pursuit of the truth, regardless of its complexity or consequences. He seeks to uncover the natural trajectory of events, what he poetically calls "gravity's rainbow." He is not driven by money but by the intellectual challenge of the puzzle and a deep-seated sense of justice.

Benoit Blanc begins as an eccentric, almost farcical, private investigator of great renown, hired under mysterious circumstances. Initially an observer, he becomes the driving force of the investigation. His arc is one of peeling back the layers of a complex puzzle, moving from theatrical musings about donut holes to a sharp, precise revelation of the truth. He develops a genuine trust and respect for Marta, recognizing her inherent goodness as the key to solving the case.

Marta's primary motivation is to protect her family, particularly her undocumented mother, from the repercussions of her supposed crime. This is compounded by her genuine affection for Harlan and her powerful moral conscience, which prevents her from being completely deceitful.

Marta starts as Harlan's kind, unassuming nurse, inadvertently caught in a deadly plot. Believing she is guilty of his death, she transforms from a passive pawn into an active participant, trying to cover her tracks while grappling with immense guilt. Her arc is about finding her own strength and agency. By the end, she is no longer just a caretaker but the powerful and deserving inheritor of the Thrombey fortune, having overcome the family's treachery through her fundamental decency.

Ransom is driven by pure greed and a profound sense of entitlement. Furious at being cut out of Harlan's will, his entire motivation is to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his inheritance, using any means necessary, including murder and framing an innocent woman.

Ransom is introduced as the family's black sheep, a spoiled, arrogant playboy. He initially appears as a potential ally to Marta, helping her escape the family's wrath after the will reading. This facade crumbles as his manipulative nature is revealed. His arc is a downward spiral from entitled antagonist to a confessed murderer, his desperation and cruelty escalating as his plan unravels, culminating in a final, impotent act of rage.

Harlan is motivated by a desire to do the right thing before he dies. He wants to reward Marta's goodness and finally teach his spoiled family a lesson about self-reliance. His love for Marta leads him to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect her from harm.

Harlan's character is explored entirely through flashbacks. He is a clever, successful mystery writer who has grown weary of his family's parasitic nature. His final act—cutting off his family and giving his fortune to Marta—is a deliberate move to force them to stand on their own. Believing he is dying due to Marta's mistake, his arc concludes with a final act of sacrifice, orchestrating his own suicide to protect the person he deems most worthy.