SNL extends an olive branch to The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood and the actress responds

HBO hit The White Lotus, known for its biting satire and slow-burning drama, found itself back in the headlines recently, but not because of anything that happened on screen. Instead, all eyes turned to Aimee Lou Wood, one of the show’s newest stars, after she became an unexpected subject of a sketch on Saturday Night Live on April 13, 2025. What was meant to be a playful parody ended up drawing serious criticism, not just for how her character was portrayed, but for what that portrayal said about the kind of humor that still gets written, and who it tends to target.

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When the joke hits the wrong note

On the April 13, 2025 episode, SNL aired a sketch called The White POTUS, mixing American political figures with characters from The White Lotus. It was meant to be what could be considered as absurd satire, but the bit that got the most attention wasn’t political at all. Comedian Sarah Sherman stepped into the role of Chelsea, Wood’s character, using oversized fake teeth and a comically exaggerated Manchester accent. While others in the sketch who portrayed Trump and RFK Jr. were roasted for their actions in the political sphere, Chelsea was reduced to a caricature based entirely on her looks and voice.

Wood didn’t stay silent. Shortly after the episode aired, she shared her thoughts on Instagram, clearly disappointed:

“Yes, do satire, that's what the show is about, but was there no more clever, subtle, and less cheap way to go about it?” (via The Cut)

Her frustration wasn’t about being spoofed. It was about how it was done, and why her physical features had become the punchline rather than anything meaningful about her character.

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Apologies, flowers, and a wave of support

In the wake of the backlash, Sarah Sherman reached out with a personal gesture: a bouquet of flowers. It was something Wood appreciated, and she said as much publicly. But she also noted that she hadn’t received an official apology from SNL as a whole. She stated via Entertainment Weekly:

“I did receive apologies from SNL...though I’ll leave it vague as to what that exactly means.”

The public, on the other hand, showed no hesitation in criticizing the SNL sketch. Within hours, support in favour of Wood came pouring in, not just from fans but also from well-known figures like Georgia May Jagger, Cara Delevingne, and Jameela Jamil. They echoed Wood’s sentiments and criticized the sketch for leaning on outdated, lazy tropes.

For many, it wasn’t just about one joke. It was about a recurring issue in comedy: when women don’t match traditional beauty standards, they too often become the joke instead of the story.

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A comedy legacy under scrutiny

For all its cultural relevance, SNL isn’t immune to criticism. Its long history includes sketches that pushed boundaries, but not always in ways that aged well. Take Julia Sweeney’s Pat, for example, a 1990s character often remembered for its mockery of gender ambiguity. In this latest controversy, the decision to exaggerate Wood’s natural features struck a similar chord. Far from feeling fresh, it felt like a step backward.

Wood’s performance in The White Lotus has been widely praised for its subtlety and emotional depth. And yet, in the sketch, any such credits were removed. What remained was a caricature of her character, a kind that said more about lingering industry biases than about Chelsea herself. As critics noted, the parody wasn’t about what Chelsea did. It was about how she looked. And that made all the difference.

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The moment that hit home

What made the situation feel even more personal was what followed. Days after the sketch aired, Wood was seen in tears on a London street. The photos made their way online, and the conversations deepened, which no longer remained just about comedy, but about vulnerability and how much public figures are expected to absorb in silence. Later, Wood opened up about the moment (via Business Insider):

“I'm not crying because someone impersonated me, I cried because it felt like all the old insecurities I’d worked so hard to overcome were suddenly center stage on national television.”

She explained further:

“I cried because it felt like all the old insecurities I’d worked so hard to overcome were suddenly center stage on national television.”

Wood wasn’t attacking Sherman. She wasn’t even asking for outrage. The 31-year-old actress was pointing out how easy it is for comedy to slip into being mean when we’re not paying attention. She stated (via The Cut):

“The rest of the sketch was punching up, Trump, RFK Jr., politics. I was the only one they decided to punch down at,” she said.

— Aimee Lou Wood, via The Cut

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What this says about the industry

This wasn’t just a misfire. It exposed a broader issues in Hollywood and beyond, where women are still judged, joked about, and sidelined for how they appear instead of being evaluated on the basis of their performances.

Instead of letting performances speak for themselves, the industry often speaks over these women with shallow commentary dressed up as humor. For Wood, a smile she had grown to love became a reason for national ridicule. And that felt familiar to far too many people watching.

Yes, the industry has made strides. But this sketch showed how fragile that progress can be. The real question isn’t whether satire still has a place; it does. It’s whether those writing satire are thinking critically about who they’re targeting and why. Humor that kicks downward, especially toward someone known for authenticity, doesn’t just fall flat. It stings.

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Toward something sharper, and kinder

Wood’s response came from a deeper place: a wish for better. She didn’t ask for less comedy, she asked for compassionate comedy. She remarked (via People Magazine):

“I love comedy. But I love smart, compassionate comedy, the kind that doesn’t tear people down to get a laugh.”

And maybe that’s the takeaway here. The sketch might fade away from public memory, but the conversation it started matters. In an era where audiences are more aware of how stories are told, and at whose expense, there is less patience for jokes that come from a place of mockery. All that a controversy of such kind implies is that perhaps great comedy can be empathetic and still be bold, push buttons, and make people laugh at nobody's cost.