Oscar-winning director Errol Morris reveals unreleased two-hour interview with Elizabeth Holmes

Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Errol Morris has revealed that he holds a largely unknown, unedited two-hour interview with disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, filmed at the height of her success.

The Interview And Ads

Morris directed a series of commercial advertisements for Holmes and her blood-testing company Theranos in 2015, back when she was featured on the cover of Forbes and before the company collapsed. He stated that he had no reason to believe Holmes was a fraud at the time, noting that he joined many others who were also fooled by her rise. He conducted the two-hour interview using his custom Interrotron camera setup during the peak of her popularity. Morris recently watched Alex Gibney's 2019 documentary about Theranos, titled 'The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley', and was surprised to find his own footage used in it, though he stated he was hired as a commercial director rather than a creator of promos. He is now considering releasing his unedited two-hour interview to the public.

Questions Of Self-Deception

Reflecting on his time with Holmes, Morris questioned the psychology of her actions, comparing her mindset to Joan of Arc and wondering to what extent she was self-deceived or genuinely believed in her own promises. While acknowledging that Theranos involved medical results that directly affected people's lives—setting it apart from routine tech exaggeration—Morris expressed fascination with whether Holmes truly believed she could achieve what she claimed.

Context

Elizabeth Holmes was convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy in 2022 after her blood-testing startup Theranos collapsed when its claims were exposed as false. Documentaries and investigative reports, such as John Carreyrou's reporting and Alex Gibney's film, have extensively examined how the company deceived investors and patients. Archival footage and unreleased interviews from figures who interacted with Holmes during her peak continue to draw intense public interest as new projects explore her downfall.