Ranking Our 5 Favorite Supporting Characters From The ‘Knives Out’ Franchise!

Calling all murder mystery fans! Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third film in the franchise, made its Netflix debut last month, and has a much darker feel than the previous ones. It follows Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) and Jud, a struggling priest (Josh O’Connor), as they try to piece together the franchise’s most complex -- and seemingly impossible -- murder yet!

One of the many things the film series is known for is bringing a star-studded cast together with its own ensemble of unique, quirky characters to each new film. Here are our 5 favorite supporting characters from the franchise!

5. Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close)

Seen in Wake Up Dead Man, Martha is the church’s devout secretary. She is first introduced sneakily appearing behind Jud, which immediately adds to both the film’s humor and mystery. As the film continues, however, the audience gets to learn more about her long and complicated relationship with religion and the church. While the judgemental and uptight nature of her character provides many humorous moments, Close’s portrayal also acknowledges how nuanced the character is, creating a performance that will ultimately tug at your heartstrings.

4. Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis)

From the original Knives Out (2019), Linda is the grieving daughter of the recently deceased Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer). She runs a successful, self-proclaimed “self-made” real estate company and is fiercely protective of her family. Curtis’s scene-stealing performance brings both heart and her signature dry sense of humor to the role, making it a performance you won’t forget!

3. Duke Cody (Dave Bautista)

From Netflix’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022), Duke is a famous Twitch streamer and men’s rights activist. The contrast between Duke’s "tough guy” persona and his general lack of intelligence is extremely entertaining to watch over the course of the film. Bautista does a fantastic job at bringing his sense of humor to what could easily be viewed as an unlikeable character without it!

2. Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson)

Also from Glass Onion, Birdie is a fashion designer and former model who’s obsessed with trying to stay relevant. Her overworked and likely underpaid assistant, Peg (Jessica Henwick), constantly bends over backwards as she tries to make sure Birdie doesn't get canceled for her frequently ignorant and politically incorrect statements. In this memorable, scene-stealing performance, Hudson does an amazing job at portraying how desperate Birdie is to be liked despite her confident, over-the-top exterior!

1. Ransom Drysdale (Chris Evans)

Get your cable-knit sweaters and Biscoff cookies ready for our favorite supporting character! Seen in the original Knives Out, Ransom is the entitled grandson of the recently deceased Harlan Thrombey. After learning that Harlan left his entire fortune to his nurse, Marta (Ana de Armas), Ransom meets with her one-on-one, offering to help keep her deadly medical mix-up a secret in exchange for a cut of the inheritance. Although Ransom may ultimately be a cocky and selfish jerk, Evans's charisma and sharp humor make him an extremely entertaining and captivating character to watch!

If you want a chance to solve the mysteries for yourself, you can stream Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix, and Knives Out on Prime Video!