The Residence spoilers follow.
Stars of The Residence have expressed their “shock” at the show’s finale, which saw the killer finally revealed.
The Netflix mystery-drama, which was produced by Shonda Rhimes, followed eccentric detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzu Aduba) as they investigated the murder of the White House’s Chief Usher (Giancarlo Esposito).
HUGE spoilers follow - consider this your final warning!
Related: The Residence includes a tribute to Brooklyn Nine-Nine star who was initially due to star
After eight episodes, in which various individuals were considered suspects, it was eventually revealed that the President’s social secretary, Lilly Schumacher (Molly Griggs), was responsible for the murder.
What to Read Next
Whilst several fans shared that they were surprised by the reveal, Aduba and co-star Randall Park – who played FBI Special Agent Edwin Park – both confirmed that they were also none the wiser regarding the killer’s identity.
“Shocked,” said Park (via Deadline), with Aduba adding: “Yes, exactly, shocked. It was not my guess.” Susan Kelechi Wilson and Ken Marino, who played an Assistant Usher and the President Chief’s advisor, were also oblivious, confirming that they suspected a joint-plot involving their own characters.
“I kind of wanted to be the killer. I would’ve been so cool, I would have loved it,” said Watson, with Marino replying: “The truth is, I thought you were going to be […] But I was very surprised — and pleasantly surprised — with who it wound up being.”
Related: Best film and TV tours for 2025
“I thought there was a cahoots thing going on, I really did. There were looks we were giving each other, and I was like, something’s going on. Wouldn’t that have been good? Because they don’t like each other,” said Watson regarding the theory of a joint-plot, with Marino adding that it “would’ve been great”.
Whilst several cast members failed in deducing the killer’s identity, series creator Paul William Davies explained the creative decision, sharing: “Lilly is definitely a big personality… Molly walked that line really well, and I found that all very satisfying.
“I think that the finale worked out really well, and hopefully it is a surprise to many. Also something that probably some people got for various reasons, not overly obvious, but not impossible to figure out if you thought about certain things or you just had an instinct for it.”
The Residence streams on Netflix.
Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
