🤔 Hear Me Out: "The White Lotus," "The Residence," and "Babygirl"

Musings on rabbit holes I've ventured down

Mar 26, 2025

This week I’ve been enjoying some fun, witty, and smart shows on TV and watched one [milk] dud of a film. It happens. The scales must be balanced. Then again, I’m a Libra and my sign is all about balance and scales. See: ♎

Which brings me to topic #1. Astrology. Whatever you feel about the subject, whether you poo-poo it (♑ ♏) or gravitate toward its pull (♎,♈), The White Lotus, Mike White’s brilliant satire on the fraught dynamics between “the haves” and “have-nots,” has fully embraced astrology this season. By channeling it through the beloved, fan favorite character, Chelsea, whose star, Aimee Lou Wood, is bringing imperfect teeth back into fashion, it’s essentially made astrology hip to talk about again, or at least not verboten. Let's take a closer look at Chelsea's character, as her portrayal plays a crucial role in validating astrology in The White Lotus-verse.

Chelsea’s character represents one-half of the love match, which is the Walton Goggins’ Rick romance. At first glance, she appears demure and plays the part of the unconventionally [see teeth] hot younger girlfriend, but to reduce her to these labels would be doing a disservice. She’s emotionally in tune, exhibits healthy, secure attachment (identity outside of relationship and clear boundaries), is affectionate and empathetic with her partner, and has a communication style with Rick that is admirable.

Her fiery nature is evident in her direct communication style, exemplified by her statement, "I'm an Aries, Rick! I need everything out in the open.”

This openness is characteristic of Aries, who are known for their straightforward approach and desire for transparency.

In contrast, as Chelsea tells us, her partner Rick is a Scorpio, a sign known for their secrecy and wanting to keep everything private. This makes communication a challenge, but who better to draw out Rick’s emotions than a straightforward Aries, like Chelsea? They complement one another. It’s had some show critics pose if Rick and Chelsea are the healthiest couple to ever grace The White Lotus [See here]. That may not sound like high praise, given this is The White Lotus, but it says something.

Further Rabbit Holes

A Gap-Toothed Model & Beauty of her day, Lauren Hutton, who made her imperfection a strength:

Hear astrology enthusiast Aimee Lou Wood (Chelsea) dissect all of The White Lotus characters’ signs:

People Magazine further categorized each cast member of The White Lotus season 3 by their astrological sign. [See the article here.] I’ll summarize it in the gallery below with my own take using Canva.

HEAR ME OUT: What’s your sign and if you’re attached, what is your partner’s sign? Any funny compatibility stories? You can also talk more generically in elements language (air, earth, water, fire) if you don’t want to state the sign. That’s the Libra in me, trying to make it all work.

Checking into “The Residence”

The Residence on Netflix [Trailer] is the latest whodunnit mystery by Shondaland (How to Get Away with Murder, Scandal, Bridgerton, Inventing Anna), a production company founded by television writer and producer Shonda Rhimes. This show combines Rhimes’ fondness for a salacious Washington political backdrop (Scandal) with a good old-fashioned crime story (Inventing Anna, How to Get Away with Murder). The result is smart and addictive.

In The Residence, we have an eccentric and brilliant world-renowned detective, Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba). Her obsession with bird-watching and detailed ornithological knowledge is tempered by her fascination with her latest case—the death of the White House Head Usher (A.B. Wynter) at a State Dinner hosted for Australia, a country with which the administration is trying to improve tense relations in the show’s lore.

Fact: Actor Andre Braugher was originally cast in the role of A.B. Wynter and filming was already underway with him. After he died, Giancarlo Esposito, a friend of Braugher’s stepped in. I have to think “A.B.” is a tribute to “Andre Braugher.”

One of the show's most creative and impressive elements is its use of episode titles, each referencing a famous mystery or crime film or series, and a few by Hitchcock. This homage extends beyond the titles, as the tone, cinematography, and character analyses within each episode skillfully incorporate elements reminiscent of their respective inspirations.

Can you guess what the Sherlock Holmes title is?

I’m not the Netflix algorithm. I’m better.

If you like The Residence, you’ll love The Afterparty on Apple TV+. [Read why here]

Babygirl Got Milk?

I wasn’t disappointed in Babygirl, now available for rent on streamers, because I didn’t hold high expectations. Still, the film’s high point is Bradley Dickinson’s character, who, in spite of his younger years, seems the more mature of the throuple that becomes Banderas-Kidman and him. He is, in essence, the “Father Figure,” which makes his seductive dance in front of Nicole Kidman’s to George Michael’s “Father Figure” [listen here] classic all the more on-the-nose.

Banderas flounders in the role of Kidman’s trad-husband, who is out of touch with his wife’s sexual needs and unwilling to listen. In his defense, Kidman’s “Babygirl,” for all of her business acumen, is also incapable of using her words to communicate her needs and generally tries to beat him up in bed to elicit some sort of sexual anger response. It’s pretty archaic and alarming.

Antonio Banderas's role in the film is reminiscent of Richard Gere's character in Unfaithful (2002). Both portray husbands whose wives engage in affairs with younger men. However, Unfaithful is more erotic and compelling, largely due to Gere's nuanced performance as the betrayed spouse and Lane’s ability to play a woman with torn affections and needs.

In contrast, in Babygirl, Banderas appears to lack the same level of nuance and emotional depth. The most memorable line comes near the end when Dickinson's character tells Banderas, "Yeah, your ideas are outdated," referring to how he perceives sexual relations. This moment highlights the generational and ideological gap between the characters.

Nicole Kidman's character, who remains silent and unresponsive during this exchange, seems to embody a sense of emotional paralysis. This aligns with her overall portrayal in the film and, unfortunately, could also be related to her perma-frozen facial expressions, which render shock as the default expression.

For more off-the-cuff comments on Babygirl, the risque film that explores a sub-dom relationship between Kidman’s CEO and a younger intern played by Harris Dickinson, check out my review on Letterboxed. You get me unfiltered and unedited there. [Bethstvfilms]