'Creepy' Elizabeth Holmes documentary leaves reviewers stunned

A close up of Elizabeth Holmes staring into Nathan Fielder's eyes makes up the majority of the film's trailer.  (A24) Nathan Fielder's trailer clocked up more than 2 million views in one day. (Supplied: A24) The exchange has been described , even in comparison to its distributor A24's long run of unnerving horror films. It has also reignited a fascination with the disgraced medical tech startup founder. Loading Twitter content Who is Elizabeth Holmes? Holmes is the founder of company called Theranos, which was once worth $US9 billion and promised to revolutionise blood testing, but ended up landing her in prison on fraud charges. She has two children, a son born in 2021 and a daughter born in 2023, with partner William "Billy" Evans. Elizabeth Holmes speaking at a Clinton Global Initiative meeting in 2015. (Reuters: Brendan McDermid) While building the company Holmes became involved with Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani who became her romantic partner, an investor and fellow executive. The pair claimed Theranos technology could detect diseases and medical conditions from just a few drops of blood, rather than requiring larger amounts of blood drawn from a person's veins. It was a claim that saw Theranos raise nearly $US1 billion ($1.5 billion) from investors with Holmes being lauded as a visionary with a fortune valued at $US4.5 billion in 2014. But this came crashing down after a Wall Street Journal investigation alleged serious flaws in the technology, with the company collapsing and the pair breaking up. Then the US Justice Department charged Holmes and Balwani with fraud and conspiracy offences. Holmes admitted to making mistakes but denied committing the crimes and the matter went to trial. In her testimony she accused Balwani of sexually and emotionally abusing her, saying the alleged coercive control clouded her thinking — a claim Balwani steadfastly denied. Balwani was convicted on 12 felony counts of fraud and conspiracy and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Balwani was convicted on 12 fraud and conspiracy charges.  (Reuters: Stephen Lam) Holmes was convicted on four felony counts of fraud and conspiracy in 2022 and was originally sentenced to more than 11 years in prison. She argued to remain free on bail while appealing the conviction after the birth of her second child, but that was denied in April 2023. She was ordered to report to prison and pay $US452 million ($678 million) in restitution to victims jointly with Balwani. Holmes ultimately lost her appeal to overturn the conviction in 2025. However, her sentence has been reduced.