The documentary "You Can See Everything," directed by Lance Oppenheim and Nathan Fielder, raises a critical question regarding Elizabeth Holmes's intentions. It probes why Holmes, who faced an 11-year prison sentence for her fraudulent activities that once positioned her as America's wealthiest self-made female billionaire, chose to host Fielder and a film crew at a modest rented beach house near San Diego during her final month of freedom. Fielder himself admitted to Wired that the motivations behind her decision remain a subject of ongoing debate.
Throughout the film, Holmes's responses to Fielder's inquiries are often ambiguous. She displays unsettling facial expressions and maintains her absolute innocence, even claiming she has never lied. In these scenes, the Theranos founder is frequently seen crying or cradling her infant, dressed casually without her signature red lipstick or black turtleneck, alongside her domestic partner, hotel heir Billy Evans. Evans is portrayed as meticulously controlling Holmes's public perception, intervening aggressively when interviews deviate from his preferred narrative. The couple resides in an unpretentious two-bedroom home in Del Mar, California, where Fielder occupied an adjacent guesthouse, creating an overall impression that surprisingly garners sympathy for Holmes.
Beyond its direct beach access and prime location, the 1940s dwelling they rented, valued at an estimated $9 million by Zillow, is remarkably unassuming. Its wood-paneled, somewhat dated, and rustic interiors are widely relatable. However, this modest rental stands in stark contrast to their previous residence. Just five months before filming commenced, Holmes and Evans inhabited a house on the expansive 74-acre Green Gables Estate in Woodside, a luxurious San Francisco suburb, then valued at $135 million. This historical estate, originally built in 1911 for businessman Mortimer Fleishhacker, features a grand English country-style mansion, tennis courts, a 300-foot Roman-style pool, and three additional swimming pools. Holmes and Evans lived there throughout her trial, and it is reported that the Fleishhacker family eventually sold Green Gables in 2025 for a record-breaking $85 million. This pattern of carefully chosen residences suggests a deliberate strategy by Holmes to manipulate her public image, echoing a similar tactic she employed in 2014 when she presented a misleadingly austere lifestyle to a New Yorker profiler while secretly living in a mansion with her then-partner and co-conspirator, Sunny Balwani.
The strategic curation of her living environment appears to be a consistent element in Elizabeth Holmes's attempts to redefine her public narrative. By opting for a seemingly humble setting during critical public exposure, she aimed to elicit a different perception from audiences. This deliberate choice of stagecraft underscores the profound influence surroundings can have on public opinion and highlights the constant human endeavor to shape how one is perceived, even in the face of profound legal and ethical scrutiny. This narrative reinforces the idea that an individual's environment is not merely a backdrop but an active participant in their story, capable of altering perspectives and fostering empathy, regardless of past actions.