Shonda Rhimes brings her ensemble murder-mystery expertise to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in The Residence, a Netflix series that drops viewers into a state dinner where the White House chief usher turns up dead. With 157 potential suspects and an eight-episode run blending dramatic veterans with unexpected comedic talent, the series premiered March 20, 2025.

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Creator: Shonda Rhimes ·
Episodes: 8 ·
Lead Actress: Uzo Aduba ·
Key Co-stars: Giancarlo Esposito, Susan Kelechi Watson ·
Release Year: 2025

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Uzo Aduba in all 8 episodes as Cordelia Cupp (Wikipedia)
  • Giancarlo Esposito as A.B. Wynter, the murder victim (Wikipedia)
  • Jason Lee as Tripp Morgan, the President’s brother (Wikipedia)
2What’s unclear
  • Full scope of Hugh Jackman’s reported cameo
  • Specific episode appearances for guest stars
  • Season 2 casting plans or renewal status
3Timeline signal
  • Cast announcements: Feb 1 → Feb 27 → Mar 7 → Apr 14, 2023 (Wikipedia)
  • Series premiere: March 20, 2025 (Wikipedia)
4What’s next
  • Full character breakdowns by role position
  • Celebrity cameo verification
  • Season 1 episode-by-episode cast guide

The table below consolidates key production and release details for The Residence.

Detail Value
Mini-Series Yes, 2025 release
Creator Shonda Rhimes
Platform Netflix
Episodes 8
IMDb ID tt8740614
Starring Leads Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito

Who plays Kylie Minogue in The Residence?

Kylie Minogue’s Role Details

Kylie Minogue appears as a fictionalized version of herself in a cameo role, announced alongside Jane Curtin and others on April 14, 2023 (Wikipedia). The pop icon’s appearance ties directly into the character of Colin Trask, played by Dan Perrault, who is described as loving “pop culture, bread, and Kylie Minogue” (ELLE). The casting fits the Shondaland tradition of booking high-profile guest stars for memorable appearances.

Confirmed Casting

  • Mini-series announced: April 14, 2023
  • Character type: Fictionalized version of herself (cameo)
  • Connection to main cast: Colin Trask (Secret Service) is a fan
  • IMDb credits confirm her appearance in the series
Bottom line: Kylie Minogue’s cameo is confirmed and tied narratively to Colin Trask’s character. Episode-specific details for her appearance remain limited in public sources.

Is Hugh Jackman in The Residence TV series?

Hugh Jackman Cameo Explained

Reports indicate Hugh Jackman appears in The Residence, though verified details about the scope of his role remain sparse in confirmed sources. The casting aligns with the series’ strategy of bringing in recognizable talent for supporting and cameo positions, a pattern seen throughout the ensemble (Cosmopolitan). Hugh Jackman is known for his work in both Broadway productions and major film franchises, making his involvement a notable draw for viewers outside the typical Shondaland audience.

Role Size Confirmation

Without confirmed details from primary sources, the exact nature of Hugh Jackman’s role is not fully verified. IMDb and Netflix Tudum have not released complete guest star credits as of this writing. For viewers specifically looking for Jackman’s scenes, checking individual episode credits after the March 20 premiere is recommended.

Bottom line: Hugh Jackman’s reported cameo lacks full verification in primary sources. Episode-by-episode credits remain the best way to confirm his specific appearances.

Who is the main cast of The Residence TV series?

Lead Actors and Roles

The Residence anchors its ensemble around Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp, a consultant with the Metropolitan Police Department who happens to be an avid birder when she’s not solving crimes (Wikipedia). Opposite her, Giancarlo Esposito plays A.B. Wynter, the White House Chief Usher who becomes the murder victim at the center of the mystery. The dynamic between Aduba’s eccentric detective and Esposito’s prominent establishment figure sets the emotional stakes for the series.

Why this matters

Uzo Aduba’s casting was announced first, on February 1, 2023, signaling her central role. Giancarlo Esposito followed days later, confirming the victim status that drives the investigation plot.

Supporting Cast

  • Susan Kelechi Watson as Jasmine Haney, a White House Assistant Usher on the rise (ELLE)
  • Randall Park as Edwin Park, an FBI Special Agent (Wikipedia)
  • Molly Griggs as Lilly Schumacher, the President’s social secretary (ELLE)
  • Jason Lee as Tripp Morgan, the President’s brother (Wikipedia)
  • Ken Marino as Harry Hollinger, the President’s chief adviser (Wikipedia)
  • Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Larry Dokes, Chief of Police at the MPD (Wikipedia)
  • Edwina Findley as Sheila Cannon, a White House Butler (Wikipedia)
  • Al Mitchell as Rollie Bridgewater, the White House’s Head Butler (Wikipedia)
  • Dan Perrault as Colin Trask, Head of the Presidential Detail for the Secret Service (Wikipedia)
  • Bronson Pinchot as Didier Gotthard, the White House executive pastry chef (Wikipedia)
  • Julieth Restrepo as Elsyie Chayle, Housekeeper (Wikipedia)
  • Mel Rodriguez as Bruce Geller, Engineer (Wikipedia)
  • Mary Wiseman as Marvella, the White House Executive Chef (Wikipedia)
  • Jane Curtin as Nan Cox, the eccentric mother-in-law of the President (Wikipedia)
  • Paul Fitzgerald as Perry Morgan, the President of the United States (Wikipedia)
  • Barrett Foa as Elliot Morgan, the First Gentleman (Wikipedia)
The upshot

The cast blends household names like Giancarlo Esposito with Shondaland veterans like Susan Kelechi Watson and Ken Marino. The result is an ensemble that serves both the comedic and dramatic registers the murder mystery demands.

Bottom line: The main cast encompasses over 16 named roles spanning White House staff, political family members, and law enforcement. Uzo Aduba and Giancarlo Esposito anchor the ensemble, supported by a deep bench of character actors.

Cast of The Residence TV series season 1

Season 1 Key Characters

All eight episodes of The Residence premiered March 20, 2025, on Netflix (Wikipedia). The series is rated TV-MA and categorized as Crime/Drama/Comedy/Mystery & Thriller, fitting the mold of ensemble murder comedies like Only Murders in the Building (Rotten Tomatoes). The show unfolds across the 132 rooms of the White House during a state dinner, with 157 potential suspects—a structure that requires the ensemble to be both large and distinctively characterized.

Episode Appearances

  • Uzo Aduba appears in all 8 episodes as Cordelia Cupp (lead detective)
  • Giancarlo Esposito appears as A.B. Wynter (key mystery figure, victim)
  • Paul Fitzgerald appears as President Perry Morgan (series regular)
  • Barrett Foa appears as First Gentleman Elliot Morgan (series regular)
  • Julieth Restrepo previously starred in Netflix’s Griselda as Marta Ochoa (Cosmopolitan)
  • Mel Rodriguez as Bruce Geller, Engineer (recurring)
  • Kylie Minogue cameo (specific episodes unconfirmed)
Bottom line: Season 1 runs eight episodes, all dropping March 20, 2025. The ensemble structure prioritizes recurring faces over guest-heavy episode casting, keeping the murder mystery focused on White House staff.

Cast of The Residence TV series President, Senator, Chef

President Role

Paul Fitzgerald plays President Perry Morgan, the fictional leader at the center of the state dinner that goes wrong. Alongside him, Barrett Foa portrays Elliot Morgan, the First Gentleman—a role that places the First Family at the emotional heart of the Whodunnit. The casting of Fitzgerald and Foa as the First Family reflects the series’ approach of using recognizable character actors rather than leading film stars for the political core.

Senator Casting

While no standalone “senator” character dominates the ensemble, the series features various political operatives and advisors whose roles overlap with legislative functions. Harry Hollinger (Ken Marino) serves as the President’s chief adviser, effectively functioning as the political strategist who would coordinate with Congressional relationships. Full character breakdowns from Netflix Tudum provide the most detailed view of these intersecting roles.

Chef Character

  • Mary Wiseman as Marvella, the White House Executive Chef
  • Bronson Pinchot as Didier Gotthard, the White House executive pastry chef

The kitchen staff positions give The Residence a natural venue for character contrast—culinary expertise meeting political chaos. Wiseman and Pinchot bring established comedic credentials that the series deploys for lighter moments within the investigation framework.

The paradox

The President plays a supporting role in his own administration, while the Executive Chef gets more comedic screen time. This inversion is typical Shondaland—power structures are backdrop, character chaos is foreground.

Bottom line: The First Family (Paul Fitzgerald, Barrett Foa) anchors the political storyline, while kitchen staff Mary Wiseman and Bronson Pinchot provide comedic balance. Senator-level roles are distributed across advisory positions rather than dedicated legislative characters.

What the cast says about the experience

“He loves pop culture, bread, and Kylie Minogue. Part of Trask’s job is to protect the president, so if he’s out there doing something, I might be by his side.”

— Dan Perrault, actor playing Colin Trask (ELLE)

Molly Griggs portrays Lilly Schumacher, the President’s social secretary responsible for planning White House parties—a role that puts her at the center of the event that kicks off the murder investigation.

— Character description from ELLE’s cast guide (ELLE)

Related reading: Stranger Things Season 4 Cast: Full List & New Faces · Mercredi Saison 2 Acteur – Confirmed Returning and New Cast

Additional sources

netflix.fandom.com

Uzo Aduba leads alongside Giancarlo Esposito, while the Season 1 ensemble details reveal deeper White House staff portrayals in this Netflix hit.

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Frequently asked questions

What episodes feature the full cast of The Residence?

All eight episodes premiered together on March 20, 2025, as a full-season drop. The ensemble appears across the series with Uzo Aduba in all episodes and other cast members appearing per the narrative requirements of each episode.

Who is Cordelia Cupp in The Residence?

Cordelia Cupp is the lead detective played by Uzo Aduba. She is a consultant with the Metropolitan Police Department and an avid birder who gets pulled into the murder investigation at the White House.

Does Al Franken have a role in The Residence cast?

Al Franken is a former senator who has appeared as a guest in various entertainment projects, but confirmed casting in The Residence for Al Franken is not reflected in the verified cast listings from Wikipedia, Rotten Tomatoes, or Netflix Tudum.

What is Jason Lee’s role in The Residence?

Jason Lee plays Tripp Morgan, the President’s brother. His role places him within the First Family orbit during the state dinner where the murder occurs.

Who plays the President’s brother?

Jason Lee plays Tripp Morgan, the President’s brother. His casting was part of the main supporting cast announcement on February 27, 2023.

Is there cast information for The Residence season 3?

The Residence premiered in March 2025 as a mini-series with no announced renewal for additional seasons as of this writing.

What Netflix rule affected The Residence?

Netflix has no single rule that specifically affected The Residence, but the platform’s evolving content strategy for Shondaland productions and the mini-series format have influenced release planning.

Who plays the chef in The Residence?

Mary Wiseman plays Marvella, the White House Executive Chef. Bronson Pinchot plays Didier Gotthard, the executive pastry chef. Both roles appear in the recurring cast.

For anyone following the Shondaland universe or ensemble murder mysteries broadly, The Residence offers a distinctive setting—1600 Pennsylvania Avenue—combined with the character-driven comedy-drama the production company has refined over decades. The cast, spanning Uzo Aduba’s lead detective to celebrity cameos, gives the series both prestige and entertainment appeal.