Hugh Grant’s ‘Glass Onion’ Cameo Is a Win for the Gays

Glass Onion—which is now streaming on Netflix—finally gave us just a hint of backstory for everyone’s favorite Southern detective. (Spoiler alert: Stop reading now if you haven’t yet seen the film!) Benoit Blanc is canonically married and/or in a long-term romantic relationship with Hugh Grant. Beautiful. Classy. Simple. What more could you possibly need to know?

The Hugh Grant cameo in Glass Onion comes about halfway through the film, during a prolonged flashback sequence. Benoit Blanc receives a knock on his door from a stranger named Helen (Janelle Monae), who is seeking his help to prove that her sister was murdered. But it’s not detective Blanc who answers the door, because Blanc is busy taking a bath and playing Among Us with his friends Angela Lansbury, Stephen Sondheim, Natasha Lyonne, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Instead, Blanc asks his partner, Phillip, to get the door. The door swings open and it’s… iconic romantic comedy leading man Hugh Grant!

Though Grant’s scene lasts less than a minute, every second of his screen time is delightful. Helen clearly has caught Grant in the middle of baking—his face is covered in flour, he’s rocking a pink tie-dye apron, and he’s clutching a jar of brown sugar. And yet, he’s Hugh Grant, so naturally, he looks fantastic with that pink apron, face full of flour, and emotional support jar of brown sugar. He’s a full-on silver fox with that grey hair and natural laugh lines, and apparently, he’s cooking up a sweet treat for himself and Daniel Craig. Swoon.

Grant, aka Philip, eyes the visitor at his door with suspicion. He asks Helen what this visit is regarding, and when she tells him, he calls out behind him, in his signature English accent, “Blanc! There’s someone here for you! With a box!”

Personally, I love the idea of Blanc and his lover referring to each other by their last names. How adorably emotionally distant is that?

Just in case you thought Grant’s cameo might be a strictly platonic “bros baking and bathing together in the pandemic” type of relationship, you should know that writer/director Rian Johnson confirmed that Craig’s character was gay back in October when he was asked in an interview whether Blanc was queer. “Yes, he obviously is,” Johnson responded before he hinted at the Grant cameo. “And there’s nobody in the world I can imagine in bringing me more joy for Benoit Blanc to be with.”

Actor Daniel Craig agreed, adding, “No spoilers [but] who wouldn’t want to live with that person?”

So don’t worry, this isn’t a Sherlock-Holmes-and-John-Watson subtext situation. This is a full-blown text situation. These men are queer! They live together! They bake cookies and take baths and are all-around domestic partners!

Of course, now that we know Blanc’s live-in partner is Grant, some may be vying to see more of Blanc’s personal life in future Knives Out movies. But to me, this is the perfect amount of backstory for our cartoonish, investigative hero. This man loves mysteries, bubble baths, neckerchiefs, and snuggling up with Hugh Grant at night. Perfection. I have no other questions at this time.