In Whose Name (2025) Documentary – Cast, Plot, Ending & Review of Kanye West Story
- Kimi
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
In Whose Name Cast
Core & Family
Kanye West (Ye) — central subject; six years of verité footage across creative peaks and public meltdowns. IG: @ye (alt legacy handle sometimes visible: @kanyewest).
Kim Kardashian — ex-wife; emotional 2018 phone call after White House visit. IG: @kimkardashian.
Kris Jenner — mother-in-law; confrontation about treatment/meds. IG: @krisjenner.
Comedy/TV
Michael Che — SNL cast; backstage argues Ye “sold out” the cast. IG: @chethinks.
Chris Rock — appears reacting around Ye’s political turn. IG: @chrisrock.
David Letterman — brief appearance. IG: @letterman.
Music peers & collaborators
Drake — studio/appearance footage (trailer highlighted). IG: @champagnepapi.
Rihanna — cameo. IG: @badgalriri.
Pharrell Williams — cameo. IG: @pharrell.
Playboi Carti — appears. IG: @playboicarti.
Swizz Beatz — on-camera pushback re: MAGA hat. IG: @therealswizzz.
Sean “Diddy” Combs — brief appearance in career orbit sequences. IG: @diddy.
Kenny G — cameo. IG: @kennyg.
Lady Gaga — archival/appearance callback. IG: @ladygaga.
Virgil Abloh — archival presence tied to Ye’s circle. IG (memorialized): @virgilabloh.
Politics / culture figures
Donald Trump — Oval Office/2018 visit context. IG: @realdonaldtrump.
Candace Owens — studio visit / cultural-politics talk. IG: @realcandaceowens.
Charlie Kirk — on-camera interview with Ye about conservative turn. IG: @charliekirk1776.
Elon Musk — intimate late-night conversation scene. No public, active official IG (primary presence is on X). Link (reference only): @elonmusk on X.
Anna Wintour — fashion/culture cameo. (Personal IG presence is limited/uncertain; public coverage often via Vogue accounts.) Reference account: @theannawintour.
Joel Osteen — Sunday Service/faith context cameo. IG: @joelosteen.
In Whose Name? (2025) – Plot Summary
In In Whose Name?, filmmaker Nico Ballesteros draws from over 3,000 hours of intimate footage to chronicle six tumultuous years in the life of Kanye West (now known as Ye). Beginning in 2018, when Ballesteros was only 18 and had unprecedented access to the star, the documentary captures West’s world in unfiltered detail – from moments of creative brilliance and grandiosity to episodes of paranoia, anger, and profound vulnerability. The film unfolds as a cinéma vérité portrait of a polarizing figure who transforms from a visionary billionaire entertainer into a public pariah grappling with mental illness and self-inflicted chaos.
The documentary opens by reminding viewers of West’s earlier genius before his decline – flashing back to a time when he toured with Lady Gaga just before the infamous 2009 VMAs incident that foreshadowed his “villain arc.” From there, it plunges into the late 2010s, where Ballesteros becomes a silent observer in West’s inner circle.
One of the first major episodes captured is West’s September 2018 appearance on Saturday Night Live, which ended in controversy. The film shows backstage footage of West donning a customized red MAGA cap and launching into an unsolicited pro-Trump tirade. A tense confrontation with SNL cast member Michael Che follows, giving viewers a rare glimpse behind the curtain at how West’s behavior alienated even his admirers.
As West’s political and social views grew more provocative, the film depicts those closest to him struggling to push back. Hip-hop producer Swizz Beatz confronts West in the studio, chastising him for embracing a movement hostile to the Black community.
Ballesteros also includes footage of West’s October 2018 White House visit with President Donald Trump, underscoring his pivot into right-wing political circles. These moments illustrate the collision of ego, politics, and untreated mental health that defined his public image.
Beyond the spectacles, In Whose Name? captures the unraveling of West’s marriage to Kim Kardashian. In one raw phone call, Kim pleads with Kanye to see how his behavior is alienating everyone around him. Her warnings about “burning bridges” and “ending up with nothing” are met with Kanye’s defiant outbursts, including his now-infamous declaration that he was “a slave to Universal.” The documentary portrays the widening gulf between them, showing arguments about family, career, and control that laid the foundation for their eventual divorce in 2022.
West’s relationship with Kris Jenner is also highlighted. In a painful exchange, Kris urges him to seek treatment, only to be met with his chilling response: “I would rather be dead than to be on medication.” These moments reveal how West viewed his unmedicated state as essential to his identity, even as it caused turmoil for those who cared for him.
Amid the chaos, the film documents West’s creative highs, particularly his gospel-inspired Sunday Service sessions in 2019. These scenes provide fleeting glimpses of his charisma and brilliance, with choir-led worship and moments of genuine tenderness, such as time spent with his daughter North. Yet they are overshadowed by his growing delusions, manic energy, and insistence that his brilliance came from rejecting psychiatric treatment.
The documentary does not shy away from West’s most infamous public meltdown: his 2020 presidential campaign. Cameras capture his tearful rally in South Carolina, where he confessed that he and Kim had considered aborting their first child. This moment, deeply personal and damaging, is framed as the climax of his unraveling – a turning point in both his career and family life.
By 2021 and 2022, West is shown embracing extremist ideologies and aligning himself with far-right commentators. Friends and collaborators either withdraw or struggle with how to respond, with only a few, like Swizz Beatz, directly challenging him. The fallout is immense: the loss of agency representation, lucrative deals, and billionaire status. Through candid footage and montage, Ballesteros presents a man in freefall, increasingly isolated and convinced of his own martyrdom.
Amid the darkness, the film captures surreal moments, such as a vulnerable late-night conversation between West and Elon Musk. The two men, both navigating personal upheaval, lie on a mattress discussing love and heartbreak. It’s a strangely humanizing moment, contrasting the chaos surrounding West with glimpses of fragility and connection.
The documentary ends without resolution or redemption. West remains defiant, still insisting on his truth even as nearly all close to him have faded away. In the epilogue, viewers learn that Kanye had no editorial control over the film but texted Ballesteros afterward, saying that watching it “was like being dead and looking back on my life.” The film closes on this haunting note, offering a portrait that is compelling, unflinching, and deeply tragic – a chronicle of triumph, breakdown, love, and rage, leaving audiences to grapple with the self-made downfall of a once-revered artist.
In Whose Name Ending
The documentary doesn’t have a traditional “ending” in the sense of a fully resolved conclusion. Rather, it ends by continuing the journey: the chaotic mix of Kanye’s personal, artistic, mental health, and public life remains unsettled. There is no neatly tied-up redemption arc, nor a strong final message that attempts to explain everything. The film concludes with the present state of Kanye’s life as of its latest footage, leaving viewers to ponder what has become of the promise, the controversies, and what might come next.
In Whose Name Review & Critique
Strengths
Raw, immersive access: The sheer amount of behind-the-scenes material gives a very intimate view of Kanye/Ye. Audiences get to see him in private moments, in conflict, in vulnerability.
No sugarcoating: The film does not try to portray Kanye as a hero or outright villain; there is moral ambiguity. It allows the messy, often disturbing reality of fame, mental health, public backlash, and personal relationships to come through.
Cultural relevance: It connects Kanye’s personal decline with larger themes of celebrity culture, political polarization, freedom of speech, public mental health awareness, etc. The way his statements, public persona, and controversies feed into broader social discussions makes the documentary timely.
Weaknesses / Limitations
Lack of narrative cohesion: Some critics argue that the documentary feels more like a compilation of moments than a structured story. Without a strong narrative thread, it can feel disjointed.
Audience fatigue: Because many scenes are intense, uncomfortable, or repetitive (especially regarding mental health decline and conflict), some viewers may find the film emotionally draining.
No clear resolution or reflection: While the documentary shows what has changed, it gives little sense of what lies ahead, or how Kanye might repair relationships, brand, or mental health. Some viewers may feel frustrated by this openness.
Overall impression
In Whose Name? is a powerful, unsettling portrait of a complex and controversial figure. It is not for light consumption, but for those interested in Kanye’s life, mental health, and the dynamics of fame, it offers much to think about. It delivers in breadth and honesty, though it sometimes suffers for lack of focus. Fans of documentaries that dig beneath the surface will likely appreciate it more than those expecting a tidy story.
Final Thoughts
In Whose Name? manages to be more than just a tabloid exposé; it becomes a mirror for how public life, artistic identity, mental health, and politics collide in the 21st century. It asks implicit questions: “In whose name is this being done? Who is being served by Kanye’s public persona? And what is the cost, personally and socially?”
If you watch it, be prepared for discomfort, but also for a nuanced, empathetic lens in places, even amid the chaos. Whether or not one sympathizes with Kanye, the documentary forces you to reckon with the consequences of letting fame, ideology, and struggle mix without restraint.