Sarah Sherman recently addressed the backlash against her impersonation of Aimee Lou Wood in a Saturday Night Live sketch that parodied The White Lotus.
The star of the hit show's third season notably called out the series for their "mean and unfunny" impression of her on social media. She drew support and sympathy from fans, and the series eventually reached out to her for an apology.
Sarah Sherman Addresses Backlash on Aimee Lou Wood Impersonation
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Sherman opened up about the backlash on her impersonation of Wood on Saturday Night Live for the first time.
She admitted that she felt "terrible" about the actress' reaction and clarified that she never intended to hurt her feelings.
"I was excited to play her because she’s so iconic, her character is so iconic, and I f*cking obviously never meant to hurt anyone’s feelings," the SNL cast member said.
"Never in a million years did I get into comedy to make anyone upset. I feel terrible that anyone would feel bad."
Sherman was also asked whether she is now more considerate of the sensitivity regarding the impersonations that she will do in the series.
"Totally. The show is in constant dialogue with culture as it’s happening, and it happens really fast. You have to be vigilant, you know what I mean? There are a lot of things out of your control," she responded.
"You’re playing a lot of different parts, you’re doing a lot of different roles that you’re not in control of. A lot of the process of the show has been, to me—how am I answering this? Staying vigilant but also being a part of the show—that is your job."
Aimee Lou Wood's Reaction to the SNL Impersonation
Wood was not happy with Saturday Night Live poking fun at her appearance in "The White Potus" pre-taped sketch.
In her Instagram story, the actress expressed her displeasure over the impersonation. "But whilst in honest mood — I did find the SNL thing mean and unfunny xo," she wrote.
In a follow-up post, Wood shared that a lot of fans have reached out to her and agreed that they were also not happy with the show's impersonation.
"Such a shame [because] I had a great time watching it a couple weeks ago. Yes, take the piss for sure — that’s what the show is about — but there must be a [more clever], more nuanced, less cheap way?" she said.
Wood also took issue with Sherman's British accent. "At least get the accent right seriously. I respect accuracy, even if it’s mean," she added.
Sometime after she shared her complaint, Wood revealed that the show had reached out and made an apology to her. "I’ve had apologies from SNL," she said.
What do you think of Sherman's remarks? Let us know in the comments!
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