Key Points Summary:
- Wood Slams SNL: Aimee Lou Wood called the parody of her character “mean and unfunny.”
- Sketch Targets ‘White Lotus’: Sarah Sherman mocked Wood’s accent and teeth in the skit.
- Fan Support Rolls In: Thousands backed Wood, praising her for speaking out.
- SNL Apologizes: Wood revealed the show issued an apology after backlash.
Aimee Lou Wood Blasts ‘SNL’ Over Mocking Sketch
Aimee Lou Wood, star of The White Lotus and Sex Education, is calling out Saturday Night Live after a parody sketch took aim at her character. The 31-year-old actress said the skit, which aired Saturday night, left her feeling insulted and misrepresented.
The segment, titled “The White POTUS,” spoofed HBO’s White Lotus by inserting Trump family members into the storyline. Sarah Sherman portrayed a heavily exaggerated version of Wood’s character Chelsea, complete with fake teeth and a forced British accent.
On Sunday, Wood responded on Instagram, writing, “I did find the SNL thing mean and unfunny.”
Fans Flood Wood With Support
Wood didn’t hold back. She posted multiple slides explaining her disappointment and frustration. “There must be a cleverer, more nuanced, less cheap way,” she said.
Soon after, her inbox flooded with support. “Omg I’ve got THOUSANDS of messages in agreement with me since posting that,” she wrote. “Thanks guys. Glad I said something.”
One fan messaged her about the accent. Wood reposted it with the caption, “At least get the accent right, seriously. I respect accuracy even if it’s mean.”
Two hours later, she updated followers again, saying, “I’ve had apologies from SNL.”
A Sketch That Missed the Mark
The Aimee Lou Wood SNL sketch aimed to parody both The White Lotus and Donald Trump’s inner circle. James Austin Johnson played Trump, with Chloe Fineman as Melania and Scarlett Johansson as Ivanka. Jon Hamm appeared as RFK Jr.
But it was Sherman’s portrayal of Wood’s Chelsea that drew the most heat. Many fans and commentators accused SNL of lazy writing and punching down.
The teeth jokes especially stung. Wood has spoken out before about how public obsession with her teeth affects her confidence. “There’s a limit,” she told GQ earlier this month. “The whole conversation is just about my teeth… It makes me a bit sad.”
She added, “If it was a man, would we be talking about it this much? It’s still going on about a woman’s appearance.”
SNL Yet to Respond Publicly
Despite Wood saying SNL reached out to apologize, the network has not released an official statement. Reps did not respond to press inquiries.
The backlash underscores a growing divide between SNL’s old-school style of sketch comedy and today’s more nuanced cultural climate.
Wood’s fans say she handled the situation with grace and strength. “She stood up for herself and called out lazy comedy,” one fan wrote on X. “That takes guts.”
A Bigger Conversation on Representation
While the joke may have seemed like typical SNL satire, Wood’s reaction has sparked a deeper conversation. Fans and industry peers are now discussing how female performers—especially those with distinct looks—are treated in comedy.
As one follower wrote, “Mock the character, sure—but when the whole gag is just about teeth and an accent, it’s not clever. It’s cruel.”
Wood, who joined The White Lotus for its third season, co
