As reported by Deadline, Giancarlo Esposito will be joining the cast of The Residence replacing Andre Braugher, for Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland set for Netflix. Esposito will take over role, White House Chief Usher A.B. Wynter, played by Braugher. ICYMI, the series shutdown production in 2023 during the longest writers strike in history. Filming was set to resume Jan. 2 with Al Franken, Uzo Aduba, Andrew Friedman and Julian McMahon but Braugher’s unexpected death on Dec. 12 delayed those plans. Netflix did the right thing and gave the cast and crew time to mourn the loss of the veteran actor. The time away gave Netflix and Shondaland a creative opportunity to carve a path forward without Braugher. The result is Braugher’s scenes will be reshot with Esposito.
“I couldn’t be prouder and more honored to be stepping into Shondaland’s The Residence for someone that I loved and respected and cherished in Andre Braugher,” in a statement from Esposito, as reported by Deadline. “To be afforded the opportunity to create in his honor with this incredible team extends the depth and breadth of his legacy through all of us who loved him so dearly.”
The series, inspired Kate Andersen’s novel The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, is described by the streamer as “a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world’s most famous mansion.” Aduba’s character, plays a “wildly eccentric detective,” who comes to the White House after a corpse is found during a state dinner of all events. The dead body leads Aduba’s character to investigate well, all 157 suspects present at the time.
Expect a multicultural cast that includes Edwina Findley, Susan Kelechi Watson, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Randall Park, Kylie Minogue, Molly Griggs, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Al Mitchell, Dan Perrault, Bronson Pinchot, Mary Wiseman, James Babson, Jane Curtin, Izzy Diaz, Eliza Coupe, Paul Fitzgerald, Chris Grace, Juliette Jeffers. Sumalee Montano, Ros Gentle, E.L. Losada, Nathan Lovejoy, Mel Rodriguez, Rebecca Field and Brett Tucker.
Shonda Rhimes creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Bridgerton and Scandal to name a few will executive produce along with Betsy Beers while Paul William Davies will also executive produce while serving as series showrunner.
