The new Netflix murder mystery, The Residence, features a star-studded cast. While fans are sure to recognize a slew of familiar faces, Bronson Pinchot has been a longtime star in Hollywood with numerous well-known roles.
Who Is Bronson Pinchot?
Bronson was born in New York City, but his family moved to South Pasadena, California, when he was a little over 2 years old. Despite being bullied by other kids in school who called him “fat” and “ugly,” he excelled academically and eventually attended Yale University for college on a full scholarship. After he graduated, he was discovered by a casting director which led to his first role in the 1983 film Risky Business.
What Are Bronson Pinchot’s Most Popular Roles Before ‘The Residence’?
Bronson had the pleasure of playing a multitude of memorable characters over the years. In 1984, he landed the role of Serge in Beverly Hills Cop, the art gallery employee of criminal Victor Maitland. He became a fan-favorite of the movie series and even reprised his role in Netflix’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F in 2024.
In 1986, Bronson was cast as Balki Bartokomous in the popular ABC sitcom Perfect Strangers. Balki became a household name when Perfect Strangers was added to the TGIF lineup on the channel and the series ran from 1986 until 1993.
From there, Bronson continued his work in acting with roles in movies like True Romance, where he played cocaine addict Elliot Blitzer, The First Wives Club and the Netflix series The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Bronson Pinchot Plays a Pastry Chef in ‘The Residence’
Bronson was cast as pastry chef Didier Gotthard in Shonda Rhimes’ whodunit, The Residence.
Tudum, Netflix’s official site made for and dedicated to fans, describes Didier as a “highly trained pastry chef [who] once dazzled diners at the famed luxury hotel Badrutt’s Palace in St. Moritz. Didier has since left the slopes behind for DC’s swampy humidity. He is exceedingly formal, generally unsmiling, and a perfectionist.”
For viewers who have tuned into at least the first three episodes of The Residence, they’ll know that Didier is one of the White House employees being held under a magnifying glass by Detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba). Didier had recently been in multiple arguments with Chief Usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito) before his death, and Didier definitely seemed to be holding a grudge.
Fans also saw a flashback of Didier that showed him scrubbing a kitchen knife clean of blood before he tried to dispose of the weapon in an incinerator. However, the incinerator was broken so the knife sat there until Cordelia thought to take a look inside.
After a miniature gingerbread replica of A.B. was found with a knife in its back, Cordelia pulled Didier in for questioning. While doing so, viewers learned more about his relationship with A.B. and why they had butted heads. In one incident, A.B. opted to move the large gingerbread replica of the White House that Didier had worked on for months from the state dining room after he was pressured by Social Secretary Lilly Schumacher.
While it appeared Cordelia might have ruled Didier out as a suspect, fans won’t get to the bottom of the mystery until they watch the finale.
All eight episodes of The Residence are now currently streaming on Netflix.
