British actress Aimee Lou Wood has called out Saturday Night Live for its recent parody of The White Lotus season 3, describing the sketch as “mean and unfunny.” The April 12 episode featured a pre-taped segment titled The White POTUS, which mocked political figures alongside Wood’s character, Chelsea—played by SNL cast member Sarah Sherman with exaggerated teeth and a caricatured accent. Wood publicly criticized the portrayal on Instagram, sparking widespread support and eventual apologies from the show .
Wood’s Reaction to the Sketch
Wood expressed disappointment with the sketch, noting she had enjoyed SNL in the past but found this parody unnecessarily harsh. On her Instagram Stories, she wrote:
“I did find the SNL thing mean and unfunny. Such a shame cuz I had such a great time watching it a couple weeks ago. Yes, take the piss for sure—that’s what the show is about—but there must be a cleverer, more nuanced, less cheap way?”
She also criticized Sherman’s attempt at her character’s Mancunian accent, adding, “At least get the accent right, seriously. I respect accuracy even if it’s mean” .
The Controversial White POTUS Sketch
The sketch reimagined The White Lotus’s Thailand-set third season with political figures. Jon Hamm played RFK Jr. (a stand-in for Walton Goggins’ Rick), while Sherman’s Chelsea appeared with oversized fake teeth. A joke about fluoride removal from drinking water—met with Chelsea’s oblivious response—drew particular scrutiny. Wood clarified the distinction between her natural gap teeth and the sketch’s implication of poor dental hygiene:
“I don’t mind caricature—I understand that’s what SNL is. But the rest of the skit was punching up, and I/Chelsea was the only one punched down on” .
Fans noted Chelsea was the only non-political figure mocked, with one supporter telling Wood, “Everyone else in that parody was a political figure who was being mocked. The only character who wasn’t political was Chelsea, and they were clearly just taking the piss out of your appearance” .
Backlash and Apologies from SNL
Wood revealed she received “thousands of messages” backing her stance and later shared that SNL had apologized, though she didn’t specify who contacted her . The incident echoes past critiques of the show’s humor, particularly when targeting personal traits rather than public personas.
Wood has previously spoken about facing comments over her teeth, recalling how Sex Education fans helped her embrace her smile. In a 2020 interview, she said, “People [messaged me], ‘Oh my god, you’ve got teeth like mine. Now I go to school and people think I’m cool because I look like Aimee’” .
Broader Context of the Parody
The White POTUS primarily satirized Trump’s circle, with James Austin Johnson as Trump (channeling Jason Isaacs’ Timothy Ratliff), Chloe Fineman as Melania Trump (mimicking Parker Posey’s accent), and Scarlett Johansson as Ivanka Trump. Lizzo made a cameo as Belinda, Natasha Rothwell’s White Lotus spa manager .
Wood emphasized she holds no grudge against Sherman, writing, “Not Sarah Squirm’s fault and not hating on her. Hating on the concept” .
