Meet the 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' Cast and Characters

• The cast of this year's Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is just as stacked as the previous two films, pairing actors you never would have expected to share the screen.
• In this cast we have internet boyfriends, Oscar nominees, and of course, a James Bond.
• Keep reading to see if you can guess which character dies based on these descriptions alone.

Mystery stories tend to involve a group of unlikely people coming together to figure out who is responsible for a crime. So, the Knives Out movies always feature a group of actors who you probably wouldn't see working together otherwise. For instance, the first movie, 2019's Knives Out, paired breakout star Ana de Armas, movie veteran Christopher Plummer, and superhero Chris Evans. The second film, 2022's Glass Onion, brought together singer-turned-actor Janelle Monàe, wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista, and Broadway actor-turned-movie-actor Leslie Odom Jr.

The third movie in the franchise, Wake Up Dead Man, is no different. The ensemble cast includes an eight-time Academy Award nominee, a British actor who starred in a bunch of movies this year, and the Olivia Pope. And, as always, on the case we have Detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig and his best southern drawl.

Read on to learn all about the cast of Wake Up Dead Man.

Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc

Benoit Blanc, the detective fans got to know and love in the first two Knives Out movies returns for the third. The investigator can outsmart even the trickiest criminals and—as we found out in Glass Onion—is in a relationship with Hugh Grant!

Craig plays Blanc, and while the character is a fan-favorite, he's still best known for playing James Bond in five movies. The actor also recently starred in 2024's Queer.

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Josh O'Connor as Reverend Jud Duplenticy

Wake Up Dead Man is centered around a church, including its priests and congregation. One of the reverends is Jud Duplenticy.

Josh O'Connor plays Jud. The actor is known for playing Prince Charles on The Crown and for the movie Challengers. He's had a busy year, also appearing in Rebuilding, The History of Sound, and The Mastermind.

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Josh Brolin as Msgr. Jefferson Wicks

Msgr. Jefferson Wicks is the lead priest at the church.

This character is portrayed by Josh Brolin, who in addition to Wake Up Dead Man, starred in Weapons and The Running Man in 2025. Brolin is known for movies including No Country for Old Men and Dune, and if you're a Marvel fan, you know him as Thanos.

Instagram: @joshbrolin

Glenn Close as Martha Delacroix

Martha Delacroix is a devout member of the church, who is close with Reverend Wicks.

Eight-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close plays Martha. A few of her films include Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons, 101 Dalmatians, and The Wife.

Instagram: @glennclose

Mila Kunis as Geraldine Scott

Geraldine Scott is a police chief, who becomes involved in the investigation into a mysterious death.

Mila Kunis plays Geraldine. Kunis is known for starring in the TV series That '70s Show and for movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Black Swan, and Bad Moms.

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Jeremy Renner as Dr. Nat Sharp

Dr. Nat Sharp is, obviously, a doctor, and that's all you get to know before you see the movie!

Jeremy Renner plays Dr. Sharp. The actor is famous for playing Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and for roles in The Hurt Locker, Arrival, and the Mission: Impossible franchise.

Instagram: @jeremyrenner

Kerry Washington as Vera Draven

Vera Draven is a lawyer character in the film.

Draven is played by Kerry Washington, who many fans know as Olivia Pope in the TV series Scandal. Her other projects include Django Unchained, The Last King of Scotland, Little Fires Everywhere, and last year's The Six Triple Eight.

Instagram: @kerrywashington

Andrew Scott as Lee Ross

Another person involved in the mystery is Lee Ross, an author.

The writer is portrayed by Andrew Scott, who you might know as the "hot priest" from Fleabag. The actor has also starred in the movies All of Us Strangers and Blue Moon, as well as the miniseries Ripley.

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Cailee Spaeny as Simone Vivane

Simone Vivane is a former professional cellist.

The actor behind Simone is Cailee Spaeny. She has appeared in Bad Times at the El Royale and Mare of Easttown, and starred as Priscilla Presley in Priscilla.

Instagram: @caileespaeny

Daryl McCormack as Cy Draven

An up-and-coming politician, Cy Draven is played by Daryl McCormack.

McCormack previously starred in the film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande and the series Peaky Blinders and Bad Sisters.

Instagram: @_darylmccormack

Thomas Haden Church as Samson Holt

Samson Holt is a groundskeeper at the church.

Samson is played by Thomas Haden Church, an actor known for Sideways, Spider-Man 3, and Easy A.

Instagram: N/A

Jeffrey Wright as Langstrom

In addition to the priests, we also have Langstrom, a bishop.

Actor Jeffrey Wright starred in American Fiction, The Hunger Games movies, The Batman, and Westworld, among many other projects.

Instagram: @jfreewright

Annie Hamilton as Grace Wicks

Annie Hamilton plays the character Grace Wicks.

You may have seen Hamilton in episodes of Dickinson, Hawkeye, and Inventing Anna.

Instagram: @soimwritinganovel

James Faulkner as Reverend Prentice Wicks

Reverend Prentice Wicks is Jefferson Wicks' father.

Prentice is played by James Faulkner. Game of Thrones fans will know the actor as Randyll Tarly. Additionally, he's been in the Bridget Jones movies, Da Vinci's Demons, and Downton Abbey.

Instagram: @jamessebastianfaulkner

Bridget Everett as Louise

Bridget Everett plays Louise, and as with some of the other characters, you'll have to wait to see the movie to learn more about her.

Everett is a standup comedian and actor who is best known for producing and starring in the TV series Somebody Somewhere.

Instagram: @bridgeteverett

Noah Segan as Nikolai

Noah Segan plays a character named Nikolai, but what's most notable here is that this is Segan's third Knives Out movie. He played police officer Trooper Wagner in Knives Out and had a small role as Derol in Glass Onion. Segan frequently works with Knives Out writer-director Rian Johnson, including in Brick, Looper, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Instagram: @kidblue

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a Baseball Announcer

Lastly, we have Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a baseball announcer. Similar to Segan, Gordon-Levitt regularly works with Johnson, and this is his third Knives Out movie, too. The thing is: We don't see him. As with Wake Up Dead Man, the actor had voiceover roles in Knives Out and Glass Onion. Other Gordon-Levitt and Johnson collabs include Brick and Looper.

Instagram: @hitrecordjoe