Netflix and Shondaland have formally launched their new homicide thriller sequence, “The Residence,” which premiered on March 20, 2025, following its world premiere on March 19, 2025. Set in opposition to the backdrop of the long-lasting White Home, this eight-episode sequence revolves across the eccentric detective Cordelia Cupp, performed by Uzo Aduba, as she investigates a homicide that happens throughout a lavish state dinner.
On this gripping story, Cordelia finds herself amidst a staggering 157 suspects, every with motives that might shift from harmless to lethal within the blink of a watch. The sequence weaves collectively humor, suspense, and a contact of romance, giving viewers a novel narrative expertise that transcends the standard whodunit method. “The Residence is actually quite a lot of issues. It is humorous, it is suspenseful, it is intelligent, it’s very farcical in locations, it is genuinely romantic in others,” mentioned showrunner Paul William Davies, highlighting the various tones of the present.
Aduba, identified for her function in “Orange Is the New Black,” anchors the present as Cordelia Cupp. Her character, who believes she should resolve the thriller alone, learns the significance of collaboration, very similar to the real-life forged who share their very own intertwined tales of affection. In truth, Uzo Aduba herself is married to director Robert Sweeting, a union she described as transformative. “I had simply accepted that that was my story. He made me really feel secure,” Aduba expressed in a previous interview with PEOPLE, reflecting on how her relationship has grown with Sweeting since their marriage on September 12, 2020.
Randall Park, who performs the particular FBI agent Edwin Park, additionally has a wealthy love story of his personal. He married Jae Suh Park after their serendipitous assembly at a charity occasion in 2007. Regardless of preliminary challenges in connecting, together with lacking the possibility to change contact info, destiny intervened as they later met once more throughout a business audition. Their love culminated in a marriage on August 29, 2009, adopted by the start of their first baby, Ruby Louise, in 2012.
Inside this ensemble forged, different notable relationships emerge. Susan Kelechi Watson, who portrays White Home assistant usher Jasmine Haney, was engaged to Jaime Lincoln Smith earlier than confirming her single standing in November 2020. In the meantime, comic Ken Marino and his spouse Erica Oyama met in 2003 and wed in 2005, embodying a robust partnership each on-screen and off, having collaborated on varied initiatives over time.
The present pays homage to its predecessor efforts within the homicide thriller style, drawing comparisons with Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out.” “It resuscitated the style,” articulated Davies, emphasizing how Johnson’s work impressed a contemporary revival of the traditional whodunit. The group takes cues from beloved movies like “Demise on the Nile” and “Homicide on the Orient Specific,” mixing in components of theatricality prevalent in sitcoms, equivalent to “Fawlty Towers” and performs like “Noises Off.” Followers may even spot a whimsical look from Kylie Minogue, who performs her iconic hit “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” in the course of the sequence, bringing additional pleasure to the star-studded lineup.
Reflecting on the journey of manufacturing, government producer Shonda Rhimes shared her pleasure in the course of the premiere, stating, “We’re so excited to be right here tonight, and actually, we’re thrilled to lastly convey this present to the world.” The manufacturing confronted challenges, notably with the passing of actor Andre Braugher, who initially portrayed the character of A.B. Wynter, the White Home chief usher. Giancarlo Esposito stepped into the function, dedicating his efficiency to his late pal. “I honor him fully in my efficiency as a result of I knew him,” Esposito remarked, encapsulating the camaraderie of the sequence forged.
The Residence not solely serves as an exhilarating narrative in regards to the chaos and thriller that ensues within the West Wing but in addition displays on the real-life love tales shared by its gifted ensemble. Because the sequence streams on Netflix, it invitations viewers right into a world stuffed with intrigue, laughter, and heartfelt connections—a charming exploration of affection in a famously storied setting.
