The Residence has been a huge hit for Netflix, in large part due to its amazing cast. Mel Rodriguez stars as Bruce Geller, an engineer working in the White House, who gets caught up in an outlandish murder mystery. It’s a fantastic role for him — but one of many on his lengthy resume that includes several well-known shows. He’s one of those versatile actors who keeps Hollywood going round.
In an interview with CBR, Rodriguez spoke about what hooked him about The Residence and the one actor he missed working with. He also talks about his memorable roles in other series, such as the underrated CSI: Vegas. Plus, learn about his theatre background as he prepares to return to the stage with UCB’s ASSSSCAT improv group on May 17, 2025.
CBR: The Residence has pulled in a ton of Netflix viewers, but what pulled you into the show?
Mel Rodriguez: I’m a big reader. I love to read scripts, and I read a lot of them, and this was just really special. The way [The Residence creator] Paul [William Davies] interwove all these different characters — there were probably 50 different characters — and how he’s able to introduce them. You might just see kind of blips of them in the first episode, but they’re going to be part of integral story towards the end; that was really cool. And honestly, just the people involved.
To your point, the series has a massive and star-studded cast, so it’s impossible for everyone to have big scenes with everyone else. Is there anyone you would have liked to work with more, or particularly enjoyed sharing the screen with?
Andre Braugher was cast initially in the role that Giancarlo Esposito ended up playing. I love both of them. I love Giancarlo, and I’m grateful I got to work with him, but I really wanted to work with Andre Braugher. I’d heard such wonderful things about him, that he was such a kind man… I met him briefly, and he was really sweet, but we never got to work together.
And then me and Randall Park. We never did anything together in a scene or anything, but I really wanted to work with Randall. I’m really grateful I got to work with Uzo [Aduba]. Everybody involved was really just so wonderful.
Did you have particular favorite scenes from The Residence, whether they were great scenes or just ones that you enjoyed filming?
All the stuff I did with Julieth Restrepo [who plays Elysie]. It was just something so intimate, and I had this really sweet rapport with her off and on [screen]. Our managers kind of knew each other, so I’d gotten wind of what she was like early on, and then we talked to each other beforehand, and she was fantastic. And it just kind of clicked. Anytime we were together, it just kind of clicked. And when it clicks, it’s great. That’s the magic.
Fans are already speculating on whether or not The Residence Season 2 is possible. Do you think there’s room for the story to continue?
I think it probably could go on, but I don’t think it’ll include the same cast. I think probably Uzo and Randall Park and Isaiah Whitlock kind of continue on, and I think they could find these new cases that [Cordelia] could figure out, but I don’t know if it’ll take place at the White House again. We already had a murder, so I think they’re going to move on.
It’s the latest of many popular TV shows that you’ve been a part of. What role do you get asked about the most? Has it become The Residence now, or what seems to have stuck with the audience?
I only did like two episodes, but people really remember [Marco in] Better Call Saul. And of course, I get known as Todd. I get recognized for Todd on Last Man on Earth quite a bit.
You also were a series regular on CSI: Vegas, which was a bit of a full-circle moment because one of your earlier guest roles was in an episode of CSI: NY. What was it like to step back into that franchise years later, and in a totally different capacity?
When I came in as a series regular, I’d met everyone. We had a rapport. We’ve had dinner beforehand, and going on set was much more comfortable.
When you come on as a guest star, it’s almost like they’re the best roles — because it’s not exposition stuff. You are the story. But it’s kind of nerve-wracking. You don’t know anyone. They’ve already got this really established friendship and rapport together. And so you’re just kind of coming into this family.
Is there anything you’ve done that you felt flew under the radar? Anything you’d like to draw viewers’ attention to?
I actually started my acting career in the theatre. I had a high school teacher in Miami, Ms. Hancock, who turned my life around. We started touring a play called The Inner Circle about AIDS awareness. After performances, Pedro Zamora — he was part of the original cast of MTVs The Real World, it was an important moment in the LGBT movement because he was openly gay on the show and was living with HIV when there was no cure — and us would do a Q&A about HIV & AIDS awareness. Helping people [and] having that sort of purpose changed my life.
I’d really love for people to watch Carol and the End of the World, which is on Netflix right now. It’s this really kind of sweet, kind of existential story, and it’s different from anything I’ve ever seen animated before. I play Luis, and he looks like me — and it’s just a great story. It really touches your heart in a way that you don’t think an animated story like this could.
I paint quite a bit. I’ve been kind of private about it, and I’m kind of trying to kind of come out and show people my stuff little by little. So that’s something I’d like to explore a little more.
Mel Rodriguez stars in The Residence, now streaming on Netflix.
