🤐 SPOILER ALERT 🤐

If you’ve seen Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, you’ll know that nothing is what it seems — least of all for Janelle Monáe’s character. Or should we say…characters. Speaking to Krista Smith in a new episode of the Skip Intro podcast, the actor describes her own shock at the film’s big twist, which reveals her dual identity, playing twin sisters Andi and Helen Brand. 

“I had no clue,” Monáe says. “The second time I watched it, I just remember being like, ‘Wow, Rian [Johnson] really had the nerve to put those clues right in front of my face.’ Clearly, it was there all along who did it. That’s the beauty of his writing, too, is that when you watch it that second or third time you’re going to discover new things.”

As Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) reveals in the latter half of the film, he had Helen pose as Andi and travel to billionaire Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) private Greek island getaway in order to smoke out the latter’s killer. To pull it off, the Alabama teacher cuts her hair, steps into her sister’s shoes and adopts what she calls her “rich bitch” voice. 

It’s hard to imagine anyone else delivering the kind of graceful and hilarious performance Monáe brings to the film. But as she points out, it wasn’t an obvious path for someone best-known for their dramatic flair. Like Helen, Monáe took a leap of faith that she could play the part — and it paid off. "I love comedy and I don’t think prior to this film I’ve had an opportunity to really show that side of me and get a character that allows for that,” she says. “Every artist wants to show their range, every artist wants to be challenged. And I was challenged in the best possible way.”

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is now streaming on Netflix. For more great celebrity interviews, check out Skip Intro on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Daniel Craig and Janelle Monáe On Their Glass Onion CostumesThe two actors break down their favorite costumes from Glass Onion.