Actress Aimee Lou Wood, known for playing Chelsea in HBO’s hit series The White Lotus, has recently made headlines for more than her acting chops. She’s been in the spotlight for reasons that far exceed her remarkable performances on stage. Following a sketch on Saturday Night Live (SNL) that depicted her in a manner she described as “mean and unfunny,” Wood took to Instagram to express her thoughts and clarify her stance.
That sketch, called “The White Potus,” had comedian Sarah Sherman as Joe Biden playing opposite Wood’s character. Critics pointed out that the performance racialized and criminalized Wood’s appearance and accent for comedy. Wood responded to the portrayal by taking to Instagram with a series of Stories. In each of those tales, she took on the portrayal and spoke candidly of her distress over it.
In her follow-up response, Wood focused on clarifying that she did not harbor any ill feelings toward Sherman. She stated, “I am not thin-skinned. I actually love being taken the piss out of when it’s clever and in good spirits. The joke was about fluoride. I have big gap teeth, not bad teeth.” This is the comment that should be emphasized here—it celebrates Ilana’s understanding of what SNL is while critiquing the content of the sketch itself.
Wood further explained that her criticism was not meant to be a personal attack on Sherman. Rather, she objected to the intention behind the sketch. “But I’m not hating on her — I’m hating on the idea,” she said. Her comment on the humor indicates that she thought the humor fell flat.
In response to the uproar after the offending sketch aired, SNL contacted Wood to apologize. She told him how thankful she was for the gesture. She further reiterated her willingness to embrace caricature in comedy, acknowledging that these portrayals are a central pillar to SNL’s brand of humor. Look, I don’t mind caricature – I know that’s what SNL is supposed to be,” she said.
The actress was flooded with tributes and encouragement from fans and other stars. Notable celebrities such as Cara Delevingne, Georgia May Jagger, and Jameela Jamil all joined in on social media to defend Wood. The way they stood firm during this battle by her side in solidarity.
White Lotus Seasons 1-3 are streaming now on Max, and act as a launching pad for Wood’s innate talent and versatility that sets her apart from her peers. Rhea Seehorn Fans are equally ecstatic over Rhea Seehorn’s work in the series. Yet, at the same time, they are rallying behind her—at least in response to the firestorm of reaction to the SNL sketch.
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