Netflix’sThe Residenceis an entertaining murder mystery that comes alive through the eyes of its detective, Cordelia Cupp.The Residence’s castsees Uzo Aduba in the leading role of Detective Cupp along with great cast mates like Giancarlo Esposito as the victim, A.B. Wynter the Chief Usher, and Susan Kelechi Watson as his Assistant Usher, Jasmine Haney. The series unfolds as Cupp investigatesthe timeline of Wynter’s murderand who could have had the motive and means to kill him.
As Cupp conducts her work, she is met with a lot of resistance from those immediately surrounding the president who want to move past the death as quickly as possible, but Cupp uncovers the truth byThe Residence’s ending. Throughout Cordelia Cupp’s time in the White House, she gradually uncovers the secrets not only of the people living and working there, but of the famous house itself. The secret staircases and elaborate rooms may even leave audiences wondering where exactly the series was filmed and how accurate it is to the real White House.
The Residence Was Filmed In Los Angeles
The Series Was Filmed On A Set
It should not come as a surprise to learn thatThe Residencewas not actually filmed in the White House, so insteadthe series was filmed at Raleigh Studios in Los Angeles, California. The creator of the series, Paul William Davies, had previously worked on the Shondaland seriesScandal, which also often featured scenes in the White House, marking a return to the subject for the writer and executive producer. However,Scandal’s scenes served a very different purpose thanThe Residence’s and explored a completely different side of White House life, as the sets reflect.
Since the majority of the series takes place in just one mansion, it was incredibly important for the production to make that setting feel real.
The Residencefocuses on just that: the White House’s living quarters for the President and the working areas of many of the leader’s staff. It is in these 132 rooms that Cordelia Cupp has to work out who killed the Chief Usher and why. Since the majority of the series takes place in just one mansion, it was incredibly important for the production to make that setting feel real. They did so effectively by rebuilding the entirety of the White House’s residence across multiple stages, which took over a year to complete.
How The Residence Recreated The White House
The Show’s Version Of The Famous Building Has Some Surprising Accuracies
Working with production designer Francois Audouy, Paul William Davies set out to fully and accurately recreate the White House, and they did so with the help of Haley Rivero O’Connor, a former executive assistant to the chief usher. According toNetflix’s Tudum, the production “filled seven stages, used 10 miles of molding, 200 working doors, 144,000 pounds of flooring, and many, many more painstaking details” to accurately recreate one of the world’s most famous locations.In short, the team truly did build the White House’s residence.
The seven stages were used to construct the different levels of the real White House, including the residences on the second and third floors where the President and guests stay, the first floor where events take place (such as the state dinner that the show centers on), the ground floor which holds important rooms like the China Room and the library, and the basement where much of the work occurs behind the scenes. Along with the actual rooms,The Residencealso recreated parts of the White House grounds.
The Residence: The Chief Usher’s Job & Responsibility At The White House Explained
Since the Chief Usher’s job in The Residence is one factor that leads to his murder, viewers may be curious what exactly he does in the White House.
The scope of the production is undeniably impressive on its own, but what makes it truly great is not just the size of the White House set but also its accuracy. In consulting someone who actually worked in the White House for several years,The Residencyhas a layer of realism within its murder mystery.Audouy even included details like secret pocket staircases that really can be found in the White House, which serve the double purpose of adding to the show’s murder mystery.
The Residence’s White House Set Is Crucial To The Show’s Success
The Residence Itself Is Almost A Character
A lot of great work went into creatingThe Residence’s White House set, and with how impressive the series looks, it is safe to say that it paid off. Though audiences have seen the White House portrayed many times,The Residencemakes the location feel both regal and real. While there is an air of importance on the first floor with its big event, the basement and its many offices show just how many people are involved in making these events work. As a result, the house itself is crucial to understanding the show and how its mystery unfolds.
Who Plays Hugh Jackman In Netflix’s The Residence
Hugh Jackman is surprisingly a character in Netflix’s 2025 murder mystery series The Residence, but the actor himself does not play him.
As Detective Cupp tours the house in episode 1, audiences are invited to create their own sense of its layout and how characters can move unnoticed through the various rooms. The White House’s layout and its secrets make the residence feel like its own colorful character in a show full of entertaining suspects. As Paul William Davies pointed out to Tudum, “It wasn’t like you could have done this exact same story somewhere else. It wouldn’t work.” While Cordelia Cupp would be an entertaining character in other circumstances,The Residenceshines, in part, thanks to its White House setting.
The Residence
Cast
Based on the novel by Kate Andersen Brower, The Residence is a drama-mystery series created by Paul William Davies. The series follows a detective named Cordelia Cupp, who is brought in to solve a strange murder that occurs during a White House state dinner, causing the staff to begin to question one another as to who could have committed the crime.
