Though South Park is currently public enemy #1 in regards to its controversial celebrity impersonations, Saturday Night Live is no slouch in that department, and while its targets often take the spoofing with good humor, reactions can occasionally get more emotionally fraught. Such was the case with The White Lotus’ Aimee Lou Wood, whose sobbing reaction video to Sarah Sherman’s impression sparked its own wave of coverage, with fans and cast members coming to her defense, while others were critical about lacking sense of humor.
The sketch in question put a spotlight on Wood’s teeth, a physical trait the actress had been vocal about drawing less attention to, only for SNL to blow that ideal up with its April 12 episode featuring the “White POTUS” sketch. Much has been said since about that and Wood’s so-called feud with co-star Walton Goggins, to the point where one might wonder if the actress regrets her initial reaction to the sketch, which she may or may not have been apologized to over. Speaking to the BBC about her new film, Wood says she’s living a regret-free life:
I don't regret saying it because it was breaking a pattern, which is what I would usually do - what I did when I was younger and got bullied. I have a choice here to go in and be embarrassed about it and just say, 'I didn't like that. It was mean.’
Five months after the fact, Aimee Lou Wood is still feeling justified by her actions, tying it back into a point in her life before reaching celebrity status, when she didn't have a platform to call out those bullying her, so to speak. It doesn't seem like the public discourse had an ill effect on her career, as she went on to earn an Emmy nomination for her work as Chelsea.
In fact, she even earned a regretful apology of sorts from SNL's Sarah Sherman herself, who said that she was extremely excited at the time to bring the sketch to life, and that she never meant for it to legitimately hurt the other actress' feelings. Fans hope to see the two share the screen at some point, presumably without any large fake teeth invovlved.
Wood continued, saying that despite anything that's happened sense, she feels like she made the right call. As she put it:
No matter what chaos came from it, I'm still happy for me and my personal journey that I said something.
For those who may not remember anything from five months ago, for one reason or another, give it a watch below.
The sketch comedy staple will return to the 2025 TV schedule for Season 51's premiere on Saturday, October 5, with the first upcoming SNL guest host set to be Bad Bunny, with musical guest Doja Cat.
