Aimee Lou Wood, breakout star of The White Lotus season three, said Saturday Night Live has apologized after parodying the British actress during last night’s show.
In a pre-taped sketch dubbed The White POTUS, the NBC series spoofed Mike White’s hit HBO series, swapping characters from the Thailand-set third season with President Donald Trump, his family and members of his cabinet. James Austin Johnson played Trump, standing in for Jason Isaacs’ Timothy Ratliff character with Chloe Fineman, who put her twist on Parker Posey’s Victoria Ratliff character by portraying Melania Trump with Victoria’s now-iconic Southern accent.
Episode host Jon Hamm spoofed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who took on Walter Goggins’ character Rick, and was shown with Wood’s character Chelsea, played by Sarah Sherman in the sketch. Sherman, who appeared to wear a pair of fake teeth in the sketch, had few lines but did say, “Fluoride, what’s that? Oh look, a monkey!”
Wood took to Instagram Sunday to clear up previous online speculation that someone at HBO had called her ugly, posting two Instagram stories expanding on something she noted in a previous interview before posting another that said, “But whilst in honest mood — I did find the SNL thing mean and unfunny xo.” The British actress added that she might delete the post later.
The 31-year-old followed up the initial post with a note that many people reached out to her to say they agree and that she was glad she said something, even sharing messages people sent her. “Such a shame [because] I had a great time watching it a couple weeks ago,” she said in another follow-up post. “Yes, take the piss for sure — that’s what the show is about — but there must be a [more clever], more nuanced, less cheap way?”
Wood also took a jab at the British accent Sherman put on for the sketch. “At least get the accent right seriously. I respect accuracy, even if it’s mean,” she said, adding a laughing emoji.
About an hour after her initial update, The White Lotus star posted another Instagram story saying, “I’ve had apologies from SNL.” The actress didn’t clarify who from the show reached out about the sketch. The Hollywood Reporter reached out to SNL for comment.