Is Al Franken in ‘The Residence’? His Surprising Role in Netflix’s New White House Murder Mystery

Netflix’s new murder mystery, The Residence, features a star-studded cast including Uzo Aduba, Randall Park and more. The series, which is set in the White House, includes a slew of fictional politicians, but one cast member didn’t need much practice for his role as a U.S. senator since he had the job in real life.

Is Al Franken in ‘The Residence’?

Former politician Al Franken got to flex his acting muscles once again when he joined the cast of The Residence. In the series, Al plays fictional senator Aaron Filkins who is tasked with leading the congressional hearing about the death of a White House employee that occurred the same night as the administration hosted a state dinner.

Prior to his role in The Residence, he was a featured player in Saturday Night Live and had roles in The Manchurian Candidate, Clerks and more.

Al Franken Didn’t Audition for His Role in ‘The Residence’

What makes Al’s role even more intriguing is that he didn’t audition for it. He was offered the part directly, showcasing how his real-life political experience might have influenced the casting decision.

“I did not audition. It just came to me,” the former Saturday Night Live writer explained to People in an interview published on March 20, 2025. “They asked me to do it, and I went, ‘I haven’t done this in a while. I hope I can do it!’ I wasn’t sure that I would be great in it, but I wanted to do it.”

Al also said his past experience as a senator allowed him to give his fellow cast members pointers on how politicians would act in certain situations.

“There’s a big difference. I had to tell everyone around me how to act,” he told the publication. “You’re thinking of a different kind of performance art when you’re in the Senate than when you’re actually acting.”

Why Did Al Franken Resign as Senator?

Al was elected to the Senate in Minnesota in 2008, and he served in the role from 2009 to 2018, when he stepped down after he was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women. An investigation into the allegations was eventually launched by the Senate Ethics Committee. One woman claimed that Al tried to forcibly kiss her after she appeared on his radio show in 2006. Another woman alleged that he groped her during a USO tour that same year.

Several Democratic senators called for his resignation, including Senator Patty Murray of Washington, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.

“Some of the allegations against me are simply not true. Others I remember very differently,” the New York native said during his resignation speech. “This decision is not about me. It’s about the people of Minnesota. It’s become clear that I can’t both pursue the Ethics Committee process and at the same time remain an effective senator for them. Let me be clear: I may be resigning my seat but I am not giving up my voice.”

In 2021, Al revealed that he wasn’t sure if his days in office were finished and told The Hill that he was “keeping his options open.” However, four years later, he had changed his mind.

“I’m ruling it out, yeah,” he told the publication in March 2025.