Filmmaker Nathan Fielder revealed that disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes contacted him by phone from federal prison days before the theatrical release of their documentary, leaving him perplexed by her repeated statement that she trusted him.
Speaking to Wired magazine, Fielder said the conversation was their first interaction in over six months. Holmes, who is serving an 11-year sentence for investor fraud, reached out just ahead of the Oct. 16 debut of “You Can See Everything,” an A24 documentary detailing the final weeks before she reported to prison.
Fielder said he missed two incoming calls from the correctional facility before answering on a third attempt. When he asked Holmes if she had tracked any publicity regarding the upcoming film, she explained that while she was aware of some talk, she had not read the bulk of the media coverage.
“And then, at the end, she said to me — ‘I trust you,’” Fielder told Wired, recalling that he offered a polite acknowledgment before she reiterated the phrase before hanging up. “And I don’t know what she meant by that.”
Fielder added that while the pair also discussed updates concerning her children and family life, he chose not to disclose those personal details publicly.
A secretive shoot and high box office returns
Co-directed by Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, “You Can See Everything” chronicles the 34 days leading up to Holmes’ surrender to the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, on May 30, 2023. Fielder, Oppenheim and a seven-person crew lived alongside Holmes, her partner Billy Evans, and their two young children at a rental cottage in Del Mar, California, filming their domestic life as the couple simultaneously worked on a new medical venture.
The documentary earned an estimated $15 million in its domestic box office debut across 855 locations, according to studio figures. The opening placed it second behind “Street Fighter,” which led the weekend with approximately $31 million.
Produced on a $7 million budget in strict secrecy over three years, the release posted the largest domestic opening weekend for a non-fiction documentary since Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” grossed $23.9 million in 2004, Variety reported. The movie also secured the strongest per-screen average for any theatrical release playing in fewer than 1,000 auditoriums since “Borat” in 2006.
Behind the scenes of an unusual collaboration
The project originated after Holmes and Evans initially pitched an access-driven film to A24, IndieWire reported. When those early talks stalled, Oppenheim learned about the situation and approached Fielder about stepping in.
Because the Theranos scandal had already been heavily covered in books, podcasts and dramatic adaptations, Fielder felt hesitant about treading familiar territory. To protect the effort, he secured an agreement from A24 permitting the directing duo to abandon the project at any stage if the footage did not yield a compelling film.
Oppenheim said on IndieWire’s “Filmmaker Toolkit” podcast that the crew frequently argued over how to interpret Holmes’ daily demeanor, questioning whether they were witnessing genuine emotion or practiced behavior. Those internal debates eventually shaped the core thematic structure of the movie.
Evans defended the couple’s decision to invite cameras into their home during an appearance on the “All-In” podcast shortly before the premiere. Evans explained that they hoped unvarnished footage would allow moviegoers to evaluate Holmes as an individual rather than through the lens of her corporate collapse.
Despite that goal, early public reaction to preview material and the film itself has fueled renewed scrutiny of Holmes, even as ticket sales continue to outpace industry forecasts.
