How Ana de Armas Nearly Turned Down Knives Out — And Why It Became Her Career-Defining Role.

What many fans don’t know is that Ana de Armas almost declined the role entirely.

Before Knives Out became a critical and commercial success, de Armas was sent an initial character description that nearly ended her involvement before it began. The description consisted of just three words: “Latina, caretaker, pretty.” To de Armas, it felt reductive, stereotypical, and painfully familiar.

This is the story of how a role that nearly slipped away became a turning point in her career—and why Knives Out stands as a rare example of Hollywood getting representation right.

A Three-Word Description That Raised Red Flags

By 2018, Ana de Armas had already built an impressive résumé. After rising to fame in Spanish-language cinema, she made a successful transition to Hollywood with roles in War Dogs (2016), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), and Hands of Stone (2016). Despite these achievements, she frequently encountered roles that reduced Latina characters to surface-level traits.

So when the initial description for Marta Cabrera arrived—“Latina, caretaker, pretty”—it immediately set off alarms.

De Armas later explained that she was tired of playing one-dimensional characters defined primarily by ethnicity or physical appearance. She feared the role would once again place her in a box: the silent, obedient immigrant woman existing only to serve others.

At that point in her career, she was actively trying to avoid perpetuating stereotypes that Hollywood had long attached to Latina actresses. Turning down the role seemed not only possible, but necessary.

Rian Johnson’s Script Changed Everything

Everything changed when director Rian Johnson personally sent Ana de Armas the full script for Knives Out.

Rather than a passive background character, Marta Cabrera was revealed to be the emotional and moral center of the film. The script subverted expectations at every turn: Marta is compassionate but clever, vulnerable yet principled, and—most importantly—essential to unraveling the mystery.

Johnson didn’t write Marta as a stereotype. He wrote her as a human being.

The script positioned her as the only genuinely kind character in a house filled with greed, entitlement, and moral decay. While the rest of the Thrombey family fights over inheritance, Marta’s integrity becomes both her strength and her burden.

For de Armas, this was the role she had been waiting for.

Marta Cabrera: The Heart of Knives Out

In Knives Out, Marta Cabrera works as the private nurse for novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer). Her defining trait—being physically unable to lie without vomiting—initially feels like a quirky plot device. But it quickly becomes symbolic of her honesty in a world driven by deception.

What makes Marta’s character remarkable is how quietly revolutionary she is. She doesn’t dominate scenes through loud monologues or exaggerated heroics. Instead, her power lies in empathy, moral clarity, and emotional intelligence.

Ana de Armas plays Marta with restraint, warmth, and nuance. She conveys fear, guilt, compassion, and resolve without ever turning the character into a cliché. In a genre traditionally dominated by male detectives and wealthy elites, Marta emerges as the soul of the story.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Knives Out does not work without her.

Cast at the Very Last Minute

In another twist worthy of the film itself, Ana de Armas was the last person cast in the ensemble.

Her role was locked in just one week before filming began.

This is almost unheard of for a major studio film with a meticulously structured script. But Johnson was determined to find the right actor—someone who could ground the film emotionally while holding their own against a legendary cast.

Despite the pressure, de Armas stepped into the role with remarkable confidence. Filming began almost immediately, giving her little time to overthink or second-guess her performance.

In retrospect, the timing may have worked in her favor. The urgency brought an authenticity to Marta’s anxiety and vulnerability—emotions that feel raw and immediate throughout the film.

A Career-Defining Performance

When Knives Out premiered, critics and audiences alike singled out Ana de Armas as a standout. Many were surprised to learn that she was relatively new to mainstream Hollywood leads.

Her performance earned widespread acclaim and several award nominations, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

More importantly, Knives Out redefined how Hollywood viewed her. No longer just a supporting player or genre accessory, Ana de Armas emerged as a leading actress with depth, range, and undeniable screen presence.

The film opened doors to high-profile projects like No Time to Die (2021), The Gray Man (2022), and Blonde (2022), where she portrayed Marilyn Monroe in one of the most challenging roles of her career.

Why This Story Matters

Ana de Armas nearly turning down Knives Out is more than just an interesting casting anecdote—it’s a reflection of a larger industry problem.

Too often, talented actors are discouraged by shallow character descriptions that fail to reflect the complexity of real people. Rian Johnson’s willingness to share the full script—and to trust de Armas as the film’s emotional anchor—made all the difference.

Knives Out succeeded not just because of its clever mystery, but because it understood that representation matters when it’s rooted in authenticity, not shorthand stereotypes.

Final Thoughts

It’s hard to imagine Knives Out without Ana de Armas at its center. Marta Cabrera isn’t just a supporting character—she’s the moral compass, the emotional core, and the quiet hero of the story.

That this iconic role almost never happened serves as a reminder: sometimes the most powerful performances come from actors who refuse to settle for less than fully realized characters.

🎬 “Knives Out” (2019)
Directed by Rian Johnson