Leave the World Behind (2023) is a haunting, slow-burning thriller that dives deep into modern anxieties — from digital dependence to societal breakdown. With powerhouse performances from Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali, this eerie apocalypse-adjacent drama explores what happens when the systems we rely on simply… stop working.
Think you picked up on all the tension, symbolism, and clues? This 10-question trivia quiz will test how closely you watched every unsettling moment. Are you prepared to face the unknown?
Leave the World Behind (2023) Trivia Questions & Answers
Here are the correct answers and in-depth breakdowns for Leave the World Behind (2023) — a tense and thought-provoking thriller that blends psychological suspense with looming apocalyptic dread.
1) Who plays the role of Amanda Sandford in Leave the World Behind (2023)?
Correct Answer: Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts stars as Amanda, a tech-savvy, anxious woman trying to enjoy a family vacation when strange disruptions begin. Her performance captures the balance between denial and desperation, grounding the film’s suspense in raw emotional realism.
2) Which actor plays G.H. Scott, who claims the house is his?
Correct Answer: Mahershala Ali
Mahershala Ali plays G.H. Scott, a wealthy and composed man who returns to the vacation home claiming ownership. His arrival shifts the dynamic, raising questions about trust, race, class, and truth in uncertain times.
3) What event causes the family’s vacation to spiral into uncertainty?
Correct Answer: A mysterious blackout
An unexplained nationwide blackout sparks confusion and paranoia. Without internet, news, or communication, the characters — and viewers — are left in the dark, both literally and metaphorically, as the situation unravels in increasingly disturbing ways.
4) What is the relationship between Amanda and Clay?
Correct Answer: They are married
Amanda and Clay are a couple navigating both their own marital tension and the stress of a crumbling world around them. Their relationship reflects the broader themes of uncertainty, responsibility, and emotional fragility.
5) What is the profession of Clay, Amanda’s husband?
Correct Answer: College professor
Clay, played by Ethan Hawke, is a literature professor. His intellectual detachment contrasts with Amanda’s practical concerns, and his character highlights the futility of theory when real-world systems begin to collapse.
6) What kind of strange technological events begin occurring?
Correct Answer: Driverless cars crash, planes fall, and phones stop working
As the blackout intensifies, technology becomes erratic and dangerous — autonomous vehicles crash, planes fall from the sky, and digital devices stop functioning. These events suggest both cyberattack and existential breakdown, heightening the dread of the unknown.
7) What theme is central to the film’s story?
Correct Answer: Societal collapse and trust among strangers
The film explores how quickly society unravels when our systems fail — and how fragile human relationships become under pressure. The core conflict isn’t just survival, but whether strangers can trust one another when the world offers no answers.
8) Who is Ruth, played by Myha’la Herrold?
Correct Answer: G.H.’s daughter
Ruth is G.H.’s daughter, returning with him to the house during the chaos. Her dynamic with Amanda and Clay’s children adds generational and racial nuance to the story, especially as tensions rise over truth, space, and control.
9) Which streaming platform released the film?
Correct Answer: Netflix
Leave the World Behind premiered on Netflix and was produced by Higher Ground Productions — the company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama — helping bring attention to its social themes and artistic ambition.
10) How would you describe the tone of Leave the World Behind (2023)?
Correct Answer: Tense psychological thriller with apocalyptic overtones
The film leans into slow-burn psychological tension rather than explosive action. It’s a story of dread, ambiguity, and emotional unraveling, where the threat is both external and internal — and the scariest part may be not knowing what’s really happening.
