Why Rian Johnson was morally obligated to cast Jessica Henwick in Knives Out 2

The Matrix Resurrections isn’t the only much-anticipated sequel Jessica Henwick is involved with. She’s also part of the all-star ensemble cast for Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel. While speaking with THR, Jessica Henwick explained her “long and convoluted” history with Rian Johnson and why the director was “morally obligated” to cast her in Knives Out 2.

I love Rian. He’s the nicest. I actually have a long and convoluted history with Rian. When I was a teenager, I watched Brick in school and I loved it. We had to watch it for film class. So I googled him, and his email, back then, was public. So I wrote him a fan email, and he never responded.

Seven years later, Jessica Henwick appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as X-Wing pilot Jessika Pava. She was set to reprise her role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but Rian Johnson cut her out of the project. So when the script for Knives Out 2 came her way, Jessica Henwick revealed her backstory and joked that Johnson was morally obligated to cast her in the sequel. “I was like, ‘I have a bone to pick with you!’ And of course, he was forced — he was morally obligated — to cast me in Knives Out,” Henwick said, laughing. “So we have a long history between the two of us, but he’s brilliant.“

Jessica Henwick added that the main reason she wanted to do Knives Out 2 was the opportunity to study Rian Johnson. She was in the midst of directing her own short film, Bus Girl, and Rian Johnson gave her directing advice and let her shadow him on and off throughout the production. In addition to Jessica Henwick, Knives Out 2 also stars Dave Bautista, Edward Norton, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Janelle Monae, Kate Hudson, and Ethan Hawke, not to mention Daniel Craig reprising his role of Detective Beniot Blanc.

The Matrix Resurrections is now playing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max, so be sure to check out a review from our own JimmyO and let us know what you thought of the film as well!