“The Residence” cast: Meet the stars (and suspects) of Shondaland’s new Netflix murder mystery series

Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes has delivered Netflix some of its most popular series, including Bridgerton (2020–present) and Inventing Anna (2022). This week marks the release of her latest effort, The Residence, a comedic murder mystery produced by Rhimes and created by her Scandal collaborator Paul William Davies.

Like Scandal, The Residence is set in the White House, where Uzo Aduba's oddball detective Cordelia Cupp is sent to investigate a murder with (gulp) 157 suspects.

Though it's first and foremost a comedy, Davies is confident that audiences will get swept up in the mystery of it all. “There are a lot of suspects and clues, and the careful viewer will be rewarded by paying attention to these things,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “As you get deeper into the episodes, you start to learn more about folks that you might have only thought were minor figures at the start. It just gets richer and more fun.”

The cast is massive, filled with familiar faces (Giancarlo Esposito, Randall Park), comedy legends (Jane Curtin, Ken Marino), blasts from the past (Jason Lee, Bronson Pinchot), and even a former U.S. senator (Al Franken).

You'll also see one of the world's most famous pop stars, but you'll need to read EW's full guide to The Residence cast to find out which one.

Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp

Uzo Aduba is one of only two actors to win an Emmy in both the comedy and drama categories for the same role — as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren on Netflix's Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019). Aduba also played Shirley Chisholm, the first Black congresswoman, on Hulu's Mrs. America (2020), a role that earned her yet another Emmy Award. Her notable film credits include American Pastoral (2016) and Lightyear (2022).

Aduba leads The Residence as Cordelia Cupp, a detective and avid birdwatcher who brings an avian spirit to her investigations. "She looks at cases from that point of view, taking in everything from a bird's eye,” Aduba told Entertainment Weekly of the character. "It's an activity that requires patience. You're listening to everything and seeing things that you wouldn't have given any attention to.”

“I didn’t set out to create a classic detective,” Davies told EW. “When I started thinking about how the murder mystery would work, I thought the detective would be an important but almost peripheral character; that we’d really tell this whole story through the White House staff. But the more I thought about Cordelia and started to write Cordelia, the more Cordelia became Cordelia.”

Randall Park as Edwin Park

After a series of early successes on ABC's Fresh Off the Boat (2015–2020) and Veep (2012–2017), Randall Park joined both Marvel and DC's respective cinematic universes. He plays Jimmy Woo (WandaVision, Ant-Man and the Wasp) in the former and Dr. Stephen Shin (Aquaman, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) in the latter. He currently stars as James Moriarty on CBS's Watson (2025).

Funnily enough, Park describes his FBI agent as the Watson to Cordelia's Sherlock. Speaking with TODAY, Park touched on the immersive set design of the show's White House. "It was incredibly detailed, just vast. And from what I hear, one of the most accurate sets in terms of the level of detail."

Giancarlo Esposito as A.B. Wynter

Giancarlo Esposito will forever be known as Gus Fring, the formidable villain of both Breaking Bad (2009–2011) and Better Call Saul (2017–2022), for which he received three Emmy nominations. Fans of all things nerdy may also recognize him from The Mandalorian (2019–2023), The Boys (2019–present), and Captain America: Brave New World (2025).

Esposito plays a pivotal role in The Residence, as his A.B. Wynter, White House chief usher is the murder victim. Davies revealed to EW that the role was originally played by Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Andre Braugher, who filmed four episodes before dying of lung cancer in 2023.

“It was a difficult decision for me to step into the shoes of Andre,” Esposito, who previously worked with Braugher on Homicide, told Shondaland. “When you know someone who you admired and were friendly with, it’s a large task to go in and figure out how to reshoot what he did. That’s an emotional trigger.”

He continued, "I looked at it as a way of honoring Andre and what he gave to us. Coming in to this project and finishing it [was a way of showing how] I deeply respected him and honored him.”

Susan Kelechi Watson as Jasmine Haney

Susan Kelechi Watson's early career found her recurring on several popular series, such as Third Watch (2004–2005), Louie (2012–2014), and The Blacklist (2013–2016). Most audiences, however, are likely to know her as Beth, wife of Sterling K. Brown's Randall, on This Is Us (2016–2022).

Related: This Is Us stars reveal the one scene they wish they could have done

On The Residence, she plays Jasmine Haney, who's next in line to become chief usher, which makes her a prime suspect in A.B.'s murder.

Speaking with Shondaland, Watson said she's happy to play a character so different than Beth. “And everything I do now, in this era of time, I want it to be different. I love that about Jasmine. She’s just a different woman with just a whole different life and a whole different set of goals and things that mean a lot to her.”

Jason Lee as Tripp Morgan

Since leading 96 episodes of NBC's My Name Is Earl (2005–2009), actor (and former professional skateboarder) Jason Lee has kept a low profile, focusing on his family and personal projects while occasionally lending his voice to animated series and video games. Last year, he appeared in The 4:30 Movie, one of his many collaborations with filmmaker Kevin Smith, who previously directed Lee in Mallrats (1995) and Chasing Amy (1997), among other films.

Lee's Tripp Morgan is the president's chaotic younger brother. In a recent interview, Lee described the character as a "loose canon" and "super unpredictable," adding, "[I had] free reign to kind of do whatever because he's living this kind of lawless, rebellious lifestyle in the White House."

Ken Marino as Harry Hollinger

Since first appearing as a member of MTV's The State (1993–1995), Ken Marino has proven himself a chameleonic comedian, actor, writer, and director on projects such as Children's Hospital (2008–2016), Burning Love (2012–2013), and The Other Two (2019–2023). He's likely best known for either his Party Down sad sack Ron Donald or as Victor Pulak, the party boy he played in Wet Hot American Summer (2001), as well as its prequel and sequel series on Netflix.

"Harry is a ball of energy," Marino recently said of his character, a close advisor and old friend of the president. "He's a bull in a china shop. He's a guy who thinks he's the smartest guy in the room, but he's clearly not. When he comes face to face with Cordelia, he realizes very quickly he's no match for her. His energy is big."

Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Larry Dokes

Though a working actor for many years prior to his turn on The Wire, it was Isiah Whitlock Jr.'s indelible delivery of the word "s---" that elevated him to another echelon. Since the show wrapped in 2008, Whitlock has appeared in series like Veep (2013–2015), Atlanta (2016–2022), and Your Honor (2020–2023), as well as numerous Spike Lee films (Chi-Raq, BlacKkKlansman, Da 5 Bloods).

Whitlock Jr. plays Larry Dokes, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

Edwina Findley as Sheila Cannon

Edwina Findley is a veteran of two incredible HBO series, both from David Simon: The Wire (2003–2004) and Treme (2010–2013). She also led five seasons of Tyler Perry's If Loving You Is Wrong (2014–2020) on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Findley plays White House butler Sheila Cannon. Sharing a writeup that described Sheila as "messy, a little bit drunk... and full of secrets" on Instagram, Findley writes that Sheila "did not come to play!"

Bronson Pinchot as Didier Gotthard

For years, Bronson Pinchot was sitcom royalty as Balki Bartokomous on ABC's Perfect Strangers (1986–1993). In the subsequent years, he appeared in several movies (Stephen King's The Langoliers, The First Wives Club) and series (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Lodge 49). Last year, he reprised Serge, the flamboyant art dealer he played in Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), in the Netflix revival Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

Pinchot plays Didier, the White House's executive pastry chef. In a recent interview, he praised Davies' writing. "My reaction when I read the script was, 'This is the kind of writing you almost never see,'" he said. "He understands that what the character is saying is the tip of the iceberg of what they're feeling. He leaves enough room for the actor to add other things because it's so spare, it's so distilled. There's mad room to have a life apart from the words."

Al Franken as Aaron Filkins

Here's something you don't see everyday: an actor-turned-senator-turned-actor. After years as a writer and performer on Saturday Night Live (1975–1980), as well as films like Coneheads (1993) and Stuart Saves His Family (1995), Al Franken served as the senator of Minnesota from 2009 to 2018. In the years since, he served as a guest host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Daily Show.

Franken should feel right at home as Aaron Filkins, a senior senator from Washington. Speaking with The Hill, Franken said he drew inspiration from "avuncular" Republican senators Chuck Grassley, Lamar Alexander, and Lindsey Graham for the character.

“But there is a point [in the show] where I’m not so avuncular, and that where I remember some scenes in Judiciary where Lindsey was less avuncular,” Franken added. “So those I had in mind just in terms of how they might react to what was going on.”

Jane Curtin as Nan Cox

Jane Curtin, an original Saturday Night Live cast member, has been dubbed the "Queen of Deadpan" for her work on series like Kate & Allie (1984–1989) and 3rd Rock From the Sun (1996–2001). She remains a consistent presence in film (The Heat, Can You Ever Forgive Me?) and on TV (The Good Fight, United We Fall).

Curtin plays Nan Cox, the president's mother-in-law. In an interview with the Boston Globe, Aduba praised Curtin as a "trailblazer" for women in comedy. “She was also so generous with her stories and sharing,” she said. “She was just absolutely lovely. A true professional.”

Kylie Minogue as... herself

Believe it or not, Kylie Minogue was an actress before she was a Grammy-winning Aussie disco-pop icon, having begun her career on the Australian soap opera Neighbours (1986–1988). In between releasing beloved LPs like Rhythm of Love, Impossible Princess, and Fever, she appeared in several films, including Street Fighter (1994), Moulin Rouge! (2001), and Holy Motors (2012).

Related: The Catch-Up: Your guide to Kylie Minogue's disco-pop music career

"Oh, she's so fierce," Aduba said on Watch What Happens Live. When asked if Minogue has a big role, the actress replied, "You can't miss her."

How to watch The Residence?

The Residence is currently streaming on Netflix.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly