Fans of White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood have taken to social media to express their concern after photos of the actress breaking down in tears went viral yesterday (April 14).
The 31-year-old was spotted crying on the streets of South London while walking with fellow actor and collaborator Ralph Davis. The emotional moment lit the fires of online speculation—especially in light of Saturday Night Live’s (SNL) recent sketch mocking her appearance.
Highlights
- Aimee Lou Wood was seen in tears on April 14, sparking concern from fans.
- SNL mocked Wood's appearance in a controversial skit on April 12.
- Wood called the SNL parody 'mean and unfunny' and in bad taste.
The photos show Wood visibly distraught, wearing a baseball cap, burgundy jacket, and jeans as Davis comforted her with a hug during what looked like a very raw moment.
“SNL lost its ability to generate humor decades ago. Now they mock people for no valid reason,” one user said.
Aimee Lou Wood was spotted crying a few days after SNL mocked her physical appearance
Image credits: Prime Video
As Bored Panda previously reported, SNL aired its April 12 episode featuring a parody sketch titled White Potus: An American Horror Story, a satirical crossover of the HBO series and US political figures.
In it, comedian Sarah Sherman portrayed Chelsea, Wood’s character from the show, using oversized fake teeth and a distorted accent that many viewers—and Wood herself—found offensive.
Image credits: BACKGRID UK/Vida Press
“I actually love being taken the piss out of when it’s clever and in good spirits,” Wood said on an Instagram story shortly after the skit aired.
“But the rest of the skit was punching up, and I/Chelsea was the only one punched down on.”
Wood went on to call the joke “mean and unfunny,” adding while she doesn’t consider herself “thin-skinned,” the caricature went too far and was in bad taste—especially when mocking physical traits.
Image credits: BACKGRID UK/Vida Press
“I have big gap teeth, not bad teeth,” she wrote, referencing the sketch’s joke about fluoride and dental hygiene. “There must be a cleverer, more nuanced, less cheap way?”
Wood then shared a screenshot of a comment that “summed up her views,” which read, “It was a sharp and funny skit until it suddenly took a screeching turn into 1970s misogyny.”
The post rallied fans and celebrities behind Wood, who defended her online
Image credits: BACKGRID UK/Vida Press
Wood’s message caused fans and celebrities alike to rally behind her. For instance, Jameela Jamil, Georgia May Jagger, and Cara Delevingne voiced their support, while netizens slammed SNL for what they perceived as “bullying” and “cheap shots.”
“You’re beautiful and an incredibly talented actor,” one fan wrote. “Shame on SNL for their cruelty.”
Image credits: aimeelouwood
In a quiet resolution, Wood confirmed that she had received apologies from the show, but that was far from the end of the drama.
White Lotus co-star Walton Goggins, in a since-deleted post, publicly praised the sketch, calling it “smashing.”
His post fueled speculation of tension between him and Wood, with the two no longer following each other on social media and promoting the series separately despite playing lovers in the show’s third season.
The actress was forced to personally address the rumors, confirming that her crying and the SNL skit were not connected
Image credits: NBC / Getty
The images of Wood crying caused one of her major fan profiles to claim the SNL skit and her emotional breakdown were connected.
“Absolutely devastating to see another brilliant and talented actress reduced to tears because of people tearing into their appearance,” the post wrote.
“Women truly can’t win. Embrace their natural beauty—get ripped apart. Alter their appearance to fit the very narrow ideals of beauty—get crucified.”
Image credits: Prime Video
This time, Wood decided to put out the fire before it could spread, and shared the post herself to deny that her crying had anything to do with the much maligned comedy skit.
“I actually wasn’t crying about anything that the papers made out; I was crying about something completely unrelated,” she clarified.
"Get over it." While some fans where offended by the skit, others felt it was harmless fun
