The Residence is Netflix’s latest murder mystery. And it has taken everyone by surprise. It may seem like a typical whodunit with a big mansion at first, a murder, and a bunch of suspects. You may think you know exactly what you’re signing up for. But then the show pulls the rug from under you.
It’s not just a mystery. It’s an intelligent mystery. The writing is sharp, and the twists definitely keep you on edge. You are never able to figure out who really did it. The entire time, you're left guessing. And the clues are so easy to overlook because the show is just so cleverly made.
And then, of course, there’s Cordelia Cupp. The detective leading the investigation is easily one of the most fascinating characters on TV right now. Her methods and her quirks simply make her brilliant.
But the real jaw-dropper is obviously the final reveal. So let's know how the reveal went down for the cast themselves.
The Residence: Molly Griggs on playing the killer
Lilly Schumacher seems like a fun-loving and sociable person in the beginning. She is the kind who lights up a room with her charm. She’s responsible for making everything look perfect as the White House’s social secretary.
She has a close friend who’s all about nature and meditation, which makes it seem like she’s just another creative and free-spirited individual.
But we realize she is not who she appears to be. She is a deeply entitled and self-absorbed woman who despises the people she works with. She doesn't care about anyone. Not even the President. Because in her mind, her wealth and privilege make her untouchable.
The Chief Usher represented everything she hated. Tradition, discipline, and old-school values, so she hated him, too.
Molly Griggs is the actress behind Lilly. She recalled her reaction to landing the role. She told Tudum:
"I just got so excited. I think my jaw was on the floor. I couldn't believe it. It was just such a thrilling moment."
She also pointed out why Lilly's reveal as the murderer is so shocking:
"We played into how ridiculous she is — how foppish she can be and totally unaware of herself. It throws the scent off her because she’s so silly and entitled and bratty. You don’t think she would be capable of something so calculated and elaborate, or that she would have that kind of follow-through.”
Further, she added:
“You never really see her thinking too far ahead. That behavior teaches the audience that she’s not thinking super globally. So by the finale, it makes sense that she would be able to think on her feet when she was trying to cover up the murder.”
Molly Griggs enjoyed making Lily Schumacher "as kooky as possible". She shared:
“Getting to crawl into Lilly’s demented head was really fun. It was really satisfying to make her as kooky as possible. Then it’s actually quite scary when you see how calculated she can be and how dismissive of people’s humanity she can be. It’s actually not a big leap emotionally to go from playing this silly person who thinks everybody is a little peon in her life to somebody who’s capable of cold-blooded murder.”
The Residence: Uzo Aduba and Giancarlo Esposito on the big reveal
Uzo Aduba plays the brilliant detective Cordelia Cupp in The Residence. Even she was kept in the dark about the identity of the murderer until she read the finale script. She told Tudum:
“I had no idea who did it before reading the finale script. I had my guesses. But I was surprised by who it turned out to be.”
She also described her reaction to the reveal in The Residence:
“It’s that kind of moment where you mentally flip through the whole thing, and you're like, ‘Right, that totally makes sense.’ All the pieces come together. It was really satisfying to feel like the steps were all right there.”
Towards the end of The Residence finale, we learn that Lily Schumacher and A.B. had a heated argument that night. A.B. had threatened to expose Lilly’s miscalculations and the inaccuracies in her work.
Out of anger, she tore a page from his journal. Only after leaving his office did she realize that it looked like a suicide note. That’s when she made up her mind. A.B. Wynter had to die.
Giancarlo Esposito played the victim, A.B. Wynter, in The Residence. He shared insight into his character’s tragic end. He explained:
“A.B. accepts the drink because he’s cordial and appropriate. He did not expect at all that it could be laced. She’s presenting a peace offering. So he takes a drink with her — and that’s his undoing and his end. If he were still alive, he would be in shock that someone would do that.”
And that’s what makes The Residence such an exceptional whodunit. It’s not just about the murder. It's also about motives and human psychology.
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