I latched onto Edwina Findley the moment she walked into frame on Netflix’s whodunnit comedy series, The Residence. And, no, it’s not because she is carrying a tray of vodka. Findley has such a strong presence on screen without even saying anything, and when her White House butler, Sheila, speaks, she becomes even more fascinating and likable. Findley has created a character that you want to spend time with or want to get to know, and with a cast as vast, talented, funny, and captivating as this, that’s a huge achievement.
Since The Residence is a mystery, everything is about perception, and that extends to Findley’s portrayal of Sheila as well. We know she likes to have a good time, and she is described this way by other characters when she becomes a person of interest to Uzo Aduba’s Cordelia Cupp. Rather than make Sheila another party girl, though, Findley invested a lot of time and research to embody a functioning alcoholic. We sometimes write off people or characters as only who they appear to be on the surface, but Findley dug way deeper.
Coupled with her secretive, growing alcoholism is Sheila’s adoration of the history of The White House. Maybe some people don’t believe how much love she has for the Commander-in-Chief’s home, but you can really sense how desperate she is to stay at the center of the big show whenever people realize how drunk she is. In this house, everyone has an opinion about their co-workers, their boss or the guests at this year’s event, and Sheila revels in the party’s festivities. Nothing stops a good time like cold blooded murder.
Findley watched documentaries and listened to real-life accounts of those struggling with substance abuse to shade her performance with more depth and precision. How long has she been hiding this problem? Is it getting worse? Not only did Findley have to track Sheila’s inner turmoil, but she had to balance it with the story’s labyrinthine structure. Her precision to make us wonder her mental and emotional state–while she keeps it cool–is nothing short of remarkable. When we obsess over a new mystery and try to untangle the webs of deceit and lies, it’s rare for an ensemble member to stick out so keenly to make us want to continue with their story. At the same time, Findley deftly knows how to keep her Sheila on the same team as the other workers of The White House.
Here’s to Sheila. And here’s to Edwina Findley’s breakout.
The Residence is streaming now on Netflix.
