Inside Amanda Seyfried's Meta Return as Elizabeth Holmes in New Documentary 'You Can See Everything

A new documentary chronicling the final weeks of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes before her incarceration takes an unexpected, highly theatrical turn midway through its runtime. In "You Can See Everything," directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, the filmmakers bring Emmy-winning actress Amanda Seyfried back into Holmes' orbit, blurring the lines between nonfiction observation and dramatized performance.

Image via Variety

The A24 release tracks the 34 days leading up to Holmes serving her 11-year prison sentence alongside her partner, Billy Evans. While the first portion of the project highlights intimate moments—including Holmes viewing the 2022 Hulu miniseries "The Dropout" for the first time and weeping—the structural framework changes dramatically once Holmes is placed behind bars. Rather than relying solely on traditional prison updates, Fielder turns directly to Seyfried, who famously portrayed Holmes in the Hulu drama.

Reenacting Private Conversations and Payment Disputes

Seyfried's inclusion expands far beyond an analytical talking-head appearance. After Holmes reports to prison, Fielder engages Seyfried to help interpret his unrecorded interactions with the former biotech executive. This eventually leads to full reenactments of scenes that documentary cameras were unable to record. Actor Christopher Abbott joins the project to portray Evans during these dramatized sequences.

One significant recreation centers on a private meeting between the directors, their studio A24, and the couple prior to production. In the dramatization, Seyfried's Holmes steps away to attend to her child, leaving Abbott's Evans alone to demand monetary compensation for appearing in the project. Fielder and Oppenheim argue that paying subjects undermines the documentary's credibility, yet A24 eventually concedes to the payout. The film later notes that Evans ultimately dropped his financial request, though the circumstances behind that decision remain unexplained.

A Direct Clash Over 'The Dropout' and Public Perception

The project takes a meta turn when Fielder visits Holmes in prison and later tasks Seyfried with reading and performing the transcript of that off-camera conversation. In the dialogue, Holmes attacks "The Dropout," expressing anger that women in media would target other women and noting that fellow inmates believe the series reflects factual reality.

Seyfried pushes back firmly while reviewing the transcript. Rejecting Holmes' accusations, Seyfried insists the subject brought the consequences upon herself, noting that television dramatizations are distinct from deliberate lies. When Fielder challenges Seyfried on the documentary accuracy of "The Dropout," the actress points out the extensive preparation that went into the role, including studying 10 hours of deposition footage, while acknowledging the inherent divide between scripted interpretations and private truth.

Questions of Truth, Performance, and a Contested Quote

Throughout the latter half of the film, Seyfried wrestles with her own perception of Holmes, showing empathy regarding Evans' behavior while questioning whether Holmes continues to manipulate the people around her. At the same time, Seyfried questions whether Fielder himself is overly protective of Holmes, raising doubts about the documentarian's objectivity.

The documentary concludes by revisiting a disputed statement from a New York Times profile of Holmes. While the published article quoted Holmes saying that actors portraying her were playing "a character I created," Holmes maintains throughout the documentary that she said "a character they created." Despite Holmes' claim that she was misquoted, the reporter has firmly stood by the published text.

As "You Can See Everything" plays in theaters, the hybrid documentary leaves audiences to dissect the ongoing public persona of Elizabeth Holmes while examining how Hollywood dramatizations continue to shape real-world narratives.

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Source: Variety