The Residence stars are weighing in on the reveal of the killer. Produced by Shonda Rhimes, well known for her production company Shondaland, the new series follows Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba) as she tries to solve the grisly mystery of White House Chief Usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito) following a fateful dinner. The Residence debuted with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes rating from critics, and while it has gone down since then, the appreciation for its strong, diverse characters and its satisfying storytelling remains.

In an article from Netflix, actors Aduba and Molly Griggs (who plays Lilly Schumacher) talked about the show’s buildup to the anticipated reveal, in which Lilly is revealed to be the killer. While she had her theories, the former was pleasantly surprised when the killer was revealed to her when reading the finale’s script. The latter, playing the killer, was told early on and called the moment being offered the role by creator Paul William Davies and executive producer Betsy Beers, “a thrilling moment.” Read what they had to say in full below:

Griggs: Getting to crawl into Lilly’s demented head was really fun. It was really satisfying to make her as kooky as possible. Then it’s actually quite scary when you see how calculated she can be and how dismissive of people’s humanity she can be.

It’s actually not a big leap emotionally to go from playing this silly person who thinks everybody is a little peon in her life to somebody who’s capable of cold-blooded murder.

Aduba: I had no idea who did it before reading the finale script. I had my guesses.

But I was surprised by who it turned out to be … Right, that totally makes sense. All the pieces come together. It was really satisfying to feel like the steps were all right there.

Griggs: I just got so excited. I think my jaw was on the floor. I couldn’t believe it. It was just such a thrilling moment. I can’t believe that now — two years later — everyone’s about to know.

Aduba: It’s that kind of moment where you mentally flip through the whole thing, and you’re like, ‘Right, that totally makes sense.’ All the pieces come together. It was really satisfying to feel like the steps were all right there.”

Griggs: We played into how ridiculous she is — how foppish she can be and totally unaware of herself. It throws the scent off her because she’s so silly and entitled and bratty.

You don’t think she would be capable of something so calculated and elaborate, or that she would have that kind of follow-through. And yet, the finale confirms that’s exactly the kind of person Lilly is.

What This Means For The Residence’s Ending

The Reveal Was Satisfyingly Laid Out By Paul William Davies & His Team

The breadcrumbs that foreshadow the reveal in The Residence episode 8 are laid out throughout the series with satisfying results. However, even with the clues, the reveal doesn’t play out simply, as Lilly’s murder of A.B. is multifaceted, first trying to poison him with paraquat and then finally finishing the deed by bludgeoning him with a clock. In the finale, when Cordelia leads her remaining persons of interest into the Yellow Oval Room, Lilly still remains to be deceptive, explaining that she sealed a door with the intent to protect staff members, when she was actually trying to hide the murder weapon.

Such tension is tightly held throughout the series, and the payoff played out generally well with critics and viewers. As previously said by creator Davies, the narrative of The Residence, while steeped in deception, provides clues early enough so that observant viewers finish the show with satisfaction, saying, “I really wanted to be as fair to the audience as possible, so that when these reveals came you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, he wasn’t hiding anything.’ I know it can be frustrating when you feel like there’s information that you didn’t have in a murder mystery.”

Our Take On The Stars’ Residence Ending Comments

Griggs’ Lilly Was Pleasantly “Demented”

It’s always fun to hear that those closely involved in a murder mystery, even the lead star of The Residence, Aduba, are kept in suspense in a way that reflects the viewers’ experience. However, I imagine it must have been a little frustrating for Aduba. Reading about Griggs’ engagement with her off-kilter yet dangerously competent character Lilly, though, is the highlight, as Griggs was able to bring the killer to life with complexity in The Residence ​​​​​​to help elevate the intrigue.