Politics
Elizabeth Holmes, once regarded as a bright future prospect in the technology industry, claimed to have invented a revolutionary medical device.
Elizabeth Holmes, once regarded as a bright future prospect in the technology industry, claimed to have invented a revolutionary medical device. However, after her claims were exposed as false, she ended up in prison. A new documentary has reignited debate about her personality, claims, and conduct. Once considered a symbol of extraordinary success in the American technology industry, Holmes is now known for a fraud scandal that shook investors, the medical sector, and public trust. She claimed that her company had developed an advanced device capable of diagnosing multiple diseases using just a single drop of blood. However, her claims were later proven false, and she was convicted of defrauding investors.
Holmes, who once gained fame as a billionaire entrepreneur, is now back in the spotlight. A new documentary titled You Can See Everything offers a closer look at her life, personality, and controversial claims, attracting attention from filmmakers and critics alike. According to director Nathan Fielder, he initially had no intention of making a documentary about Holmes. He was simply interested in meeting her and understanding her personality. However, that meeting became the foundation for a film that has once again raised a question: What is it about Holmes that has kept people fascinated by her for more than a decade?
Elizabeth Holmes gained worldwide attention in 2014, when she was presented as the founder of her company, Theranos, and a self-made billionaire entrepreneur. The company claimed to have developed technology capable of diagnosing multiple diseases using only a few drops of blood. Had the technology worked as promised, it could have transformed the medical industry by making it possible to conduct multiple tests using much smaller blood samples than traditional methods required. Holmes also cultivated a distinctive public image. Her large eyes, dark red lipstick, and black high-neck shirts reminiscent of those worn by renowned technology entrepreneur Steve Jobs became her trademarks. She was even featured on the cover of Fortune magazine.
However, subsequent revelations showed that the company's device did not function accurately and sometimes produced incorrect results. Despite these problems, the company continued making ambitious claims about its technology. After being convicted of defrauding investors, Holmes entered federal prison in May 2023. Her story is considered particularly extraordinary because she was once portrayed as an entrepreneur who could change the world through technology, only to become a prominent example of fraud and exaggerated claims within the same industry.
Nathan Fielder and his co-director, Lance Oppenheim, spent time with Holmes, her partner Billy Evans, and their two young children in the weeks before she went to prison. They filmed aspects of her private life. Holmes's decision to allow the filmmakers such intimate access to her life has also been interpreted as an attempt to improve her public image and present herself as innocent. Shortly before entering prison, Holmes gave an extensive interview to The New York Times, which highlighted a softer, more domestic side of her personality. The interview portrayed her as a mother who loves her children and volunteers to support survivors of sexual violence. However, the interview also attracted criticism, with some arguing that it was overly accepting of her new, more sympathetic public image.
According to Lance Oppenheim, the filmmakers learned that Holmes had been approaching various production companies and had also spoken with the well-known film company A24. The two directors subsequently met her and decided to make the documentary. Interestingly, Fielder himself was surprised that Holmes had agreed to let him make the film. He said he had not expected her to choose him for the project. Fielder is known for his satirical and unconventional television series, while Oppenheim has also established a distinctive style in documentary filmmaking.
The documentary presents the same personality that once fascinated and astonished the public, although her appearance has changed. In some scenes, Holmes is shown barefoot, holding her child in her arms while talking with Fielder. Her signature red lipstick and meticulously polished appearance are no longer as prominent. However, her habit of maintaining direct eye contact and blinking infrequently remains noticeable. Throughout the film, Holmes repeatedly insists that she never lied, that her medical technology worked, and that she was treated unfairly. She also becomes emotional when discussing the damage to her reputation and public standing. Fielder appears surprised by and sceptical of her claims. At one point, he asks whether she has ever told a lie. Holmes answers no. During the film's screening, this scene prompted a strong reaction from the audience, with laughter heard on several occasions.
One of the documentary's major turning points comes after Holmes goes to prison, when Fielder introduces another person into the conversation. This individual brings a new perspective to the film and raises questions about Holmes's behavior that viewers may also be considering. The documentary explores whether Holmes genuinely believes she is innocent or whether she is trying to persuade others through her personality and the way she presents her story.
Fielder is also asked whether he himself may have become influenced by Holmes's personality and started accepting her claims. The film does not provide a definitive answer, but it presents two possible explanations. One is that Holmes possesses an extraordinary ability to influence others and draw them into her way of thinking. The other is that she may be unable to distinguish between her own perception of events and reality. This ambiguity is one of the documentary's defining features. It leaves viewers wondering how much of what Holmes says is true and how she herself understands the story she continues to tell.
Elizabeth Holmes has continued to attract public attention despite her imprisonment. According to reports, she is expected to be transferred to a residential re-entry facility in 2027, while her full release is anticipated in 2030. She also maintains an active account on the social media platform X. In one of her prominent posts, she says she is continuing to fight to prove her innocence and return to her children and partner. Several documentaries and dramatic productions have previously explored her life. These include Alex Gibney's documentary The Inventor, the podcast The Dropout, and the television series of the same name, all of which have presented her story from different perspectives. Amanda Seyfried, who portrayed Holmes in the television series, won an Emmy Award for her performance.
The new documentary has received considerable attention for its distinctive style, humour, and exploration of the gap between reality and public perception. Some critics have described it as a masterpiece, while speculation has also emerged that it could receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, an unusual distinction for a documentary. Fielder says he is still trying to understand what he witnessed and experienced while working with Holmes.
According to Oppenheim, the filming process left the team grappling with psychological uncertainty almost every day. Even the filmmakers and members of their own team held differing views about how to interpret Holmes's personality. Perhaps this very contradiction is what continues to make Elizabeth Holmes's story so compelling. A woman once regarded as a symbol of the technological future continues to deny wrongdoing and insist on her innocence. The persistent gap between her claims and the established facts has once again drawn public attention to her extraordinary rise and fall.
