Paul William Davies was watching, of all things, archived C-SPAN testimony when inspiration struck.
Its like a Clue board!
Were never in the Oval Office or West Wing.
Susan Kelechi Watson, Uzo Aduba, and Ken Marino on ‘The Residence’.Jessica Brooks/Netflix
Its just not part of the show.
Has she spoken with Washington at all to swap tales about the inner workings of Shondaland?
We did chat about it, says Aduba.
Giancarlo Esposito and Bronson Pinchot on ‘The Residence’.Jessica Brooks/Netflix
She’s a committed creative, which I love and respect.
Aduba was blown away when she received the script.
It wasn’t someone I played before, and it felt so thrilling, she says.
Uzo Aduba on ‘The Residence’.Jessica Brooks/Netflix
I had to say yes just so I could find out who did it.
A worthy addition to the fictional detective canon, Cordelia is a sharp observer.
She’s off-centered, in the best way.
An avid birder too, often disappearing behind the lens of her binoculars.
It’s an activity that requires patience.
You’re listening to everything and seeing things that you wouldn’t have given any attention to.
Aduba calls Cordelia so entirely herself, adding, She doesnt get intimidated by the room.
That’s a pretty big room to step into, the White House.
Despite being in that space, she knows her stuff and who she is in the world.
The character, notes Davies, just sort of created herself.
I didnt set out to create a classic detective, he says.
But the more I thought about Cordelia and started to write Cordelia, the more Cordelia became Cordelia.
Wynter from the lateAndre Braugher.
He had such a depth of range and brought warmth, professionalism, and knowledge to set every day.
It wasnt in a gotcha spirit.
He really wanted to understand who this person was, what I wanted him to be.
He was so unbelievably smart and thoughtful.
Though his scenes were reshot, Braughers spirit lives on through the show.
And to that point, Davies promises a satisfying one.
It just gets richer and more fun.
Your jaws will be on the ground, adds Aduba.
Its not what you expect.
