Mark Rylance in ‘Don’t Look Up’ Reminds Us of These Billionaires - Netflix Tudum

  • Who’s Who

    Mark Rylance in ‘Don’t Look Up’ Reminds Us of These Billionaires

    Jeff Bezos, do not text.

    Jan. 20, 2022

Of all the outlandish characters in Don’t Look Up, reclusive billionaire Sir Peter Isherwell (Mark Rylance) might just be the most memorable. Isherwell is the founder of Bash, the tech conglomerate that — spoiler alert! — ultimately dooms the planet through a combination of greed and total incompetence. It’s a character and performance that’s clearly indebted to some of the world’s wealthiest businesspeople. Below, we break down the many influences of Peter Isherwell — just like he ruins planet Earth.

Mark Rylance in Don’t Look Up Reminds Us of These Billionaires

Steve Jobs: Apple co-founder, chairman and CEO

How he made his billions: Phones, computers, tablets, turtlenecks. Here’s a quick primer, streaming on Netflix.

What they have in common: Isherwell is introduced at a Bash event not dissimilar to one of Jobs’ iconic Apple keynote presentations; he’s even wearing a very snappy piece of knitwear. Here, Isherwell announces new software: Bash LiiF, which can sense its user’s mood and respond in real time to “make sure these sad feelings never, ever return.” Not quite the iPhone, but maybe someday.

Mark Rylance in Don’t Look Up Reminds Us of These Billionaires

Jeff Bezos: Amazon founder and executive chairman 

How he made his billions: A delivery website that has quickly become every other kind of website as well.

What they have in common: Bezos has become notorious for his interest in space; earlier this year, he took his own phallic rocket into orbit for a whole 10 minutes. In Don’t Look Up, Isherwell derails the US government’s mission to space in favor of his own, pushing President Orlean (Meryl Streep) to abandon nuking the incoming comet so that he can instead mine it for precious minerals. At the end of the film, he also blasts off with a crew of elite passengers to escape the incoming destruction of the planet. Look, we’re not saying Jeff Bezos has a top-secret lifeboat spaceship, but we’re also not not saying that. 

Mark Rylance in Don’t Look Up Reminds Us of These Billionaires

Elizabeth Holmes: Theranos founder and CEO

How she made her billions: Lying.

What they have in common: As Isherwell, Rylance adopts a voice that might best be described as “children’s public television host gone rogue.” It’s high-pitched but not nasal, with a singsong, sinister quality. Sonically, it exists far away from disgraced Holmes’ deep, insincere baritone, but it feels like a member of the same family all the same — especially when Isherwell confronts Dr. Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio), and you can briefly see the real anger beneath the benevolent performance. 

Mark Rylance in Don’t Look Up Reminds Us of These Billionaires

Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook co-founder, chairman and CEO

How he made his billions: A social media website with casually sexist roots. Watch The Social Network to learn a little more.

What they have in common: Really, just vibes. While Isherwell has his fingers in quite a few tech pies, it doesn’t seem like he’s quite branched out into social media just yet. What Zuckerberg and Isherwell share is, quite simply, an incredibly uneasy way of interacting with the world around them. Rylance is an off-kilter presence in every one of his scenes in Don’t Look Up; it’s easy to imagine Isherwell broadcasting an upsettingly long look at his barbecue routine, or giving a surreal presentation in an augmented reality world. These are just two incredibly normal guys, nothing to see here!

Mark Rylance in Don’t Look Up Reminds Us of These Billionaires

Elon Musk: Tesla CEO

How he made his billions: PayPal, and later, electric cars.

What they have in common: The aforementioned preoccupation with space, as Musk continues to push for human colonization of Mars. He’s also a big fan of memes, as is Isherwell — In his opening Bash presentation, Rylance’s character has a good chuckle at a video of a dog riding a chicken. Isherwell is also notorious for buying the Gutenberg Bible and losing it, a stunt that sounds very Muskian to us. (It also recalls pharma-bro Martin Shkreli’s infamous Wu-Tang Clan album purchase; Shkreli, for once, is disqualified from this list for not being rich and evil enough.) But above all, what Musk and Isherwell really have in common is a predication toward incredibly absurd backseat driving, comet-sized or otherwise. Remember when Elon offered to build a child-sized coffin submarine to facilitate the Thai cave rescue? We do.

All About Don't Look Up

  • Interview
    A Melanie Lynskey Guide to Surviving the Worst
    The Don’t Look Up star is drawn to ordinary women facing extraordinary circumstances.
    By Anne Cohen
    March 5, 2024
  • Interview
    And find out why she doesn’t think a comet is coming for us anytime soon.
    By Anne Cohen
    March 5, 2024
  • Ask an Expert
    “No comet,” say 14 climate experts who’ve penned more hopeful finales to the film.
    By Henry Goldblatt
    March 16, 2022
  • Video
    “I truly cannot think of a more comforting dish.”
    By Jamie Beckman
    Feb. 11, 2022
  • Guide
    Don’t Look Up marks the actress’s fifth time portraying a reporter on-screen.
    By Anne Cohen
    Jan. 6, 2022
  • What To Watch
    Check these flicks from this one-of-a-kind movie mogul.
    By Peter A. Berry
    Dec. 29, 2021
  • Culture
    Welcome back, JLaw!
    By Anne Cohen
    Dec. 28, 2021
  • Culture
    He’s more than just Madea.
    By John DiLillo
    Dec. 27, 2021

Shop Don't Look Up

GO TO NETFLIX SHOP

Discover More Who’s Who

  • Who’s Who
    What happens when stars from Love Is Blind, Vanderpump Rules, and more collide? 
    By Olivia Harrison
    April 15
  • Who’s Who
    Will they get burned?
    By Olivia Harrison
    April 10
  • Who’s Who
    A wedding ceremony turns ominous in this horror series about love and fate.
    By Christian Zamora
    April 5
  • Who’s Who
    Returning couples and new singles hit major milestones in this next chapter.
    By Melanie Whyte
    April 3
  • Who’s Who
    The youngest sister from To All the Boys returns to high school in Season 2.
    By Tara Bitran and Jean Bentley
    April 2
  • Who’s Who
    Anna Cathcart returns as the youngest Covey sister in the To All the Boys films.
    By Tara Bitran
    April 2
  • Who’s Who
    Some are chasing a “rom-com moment,” and others just want a “guy who has hair.”
    By Melanie Whyte
    April 1

Related Videos

  • What To Watch
    From Marriage Story to NYAD, this films are worthy of a watch.
    March 1, 2024
    2:52
  • Interview
    The actor shares the inspiration behind his memorable character.
    Jan. 19, 2022
    2:16
  • Explainer
    Exploring Kate and Yule's relationship in Don't Look Up.
    Jan. 14, 2022
    5:59
  • Interview
    Director Adam McKay talks about working with the acting legend.
    Jan. 13, 2022
    3:19
  • Interview
    The director deep-dives into how his films talk about major societal problems.
    Jan. 5, 2022
    12:58
  • Interview
    The director talks blending improv and structure in his comedic masterpieces.
    Jan. 4, 2022
    11:32
  • Explainer
    Scientist Amy Mainzer explains the real science behind Don't Look Up.
    Dec. 30, 2021
    4:55

Latest News

  • News
    How Does BEEF Season 2 End? Inside the Well-Done Finale
    6:00 am
    Carey Mulligan as Lindsay Crane-Martin and Oscar Isaac as Josh Martin sitting on a floral sofa in a cozy, dimly lit living room with warm lighting, patterned walls, throw pillows, a small dog, and a potted fern next to a vintage-style lamp.

Popular Now

  • First Look
    Kit Connor and Taika Waititi are headed for a candy-coated showdown.
    By Stephan Lee
    April 16
  • New on Netflix
    Stream Apex, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, plus new seasons of BEEF, Running Point, and more.
    By Ashley Lee
    March 31
  • Status Update
    Hear from the docuseries’ director and subjects on how the FLDS leader still exerts control from prison. 
    By Troy Pozirekides
    April 14