Every week, Netflix reveals its Top 10 lists, ranking its most-viewed movies and TV shows. For the week of Feb. 24 through March 2, one of the streamer's biggest global hits is the British drama Toxic Town, a real-life story of a group of mothers seeking justice after a toxic waste dump in their town caused birth defects in their kids. The show co-stars Aimee Lou Wood, who's also starring in the new season of The White Lotus and seems to be having a much-deserved moment right now.
The White Lotus, currently in the middle of its third season on Max, always features a stellar ensemble of actors. The show skewers usually wealthy archetypes who are vapid and self-absorbed, but this season, one of the best characters on the show is Chelsea, a bubbly astrology lover from Manchester, England, played by Wood. Chelsea, an Aries, is dating the older Rick (Walton Goggins), who's as mysterious as he is haunted by personal demons. On a show that also features incredible performances from Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Parker Posey and Natasha Rothwell, Wood's Chelsea stands out for her openness and optimism. Those are traits she also portrayed brilliantly in her role as Aimee Gibbs on Netflix's Sex Education, the show where she first gained international recognition.
The worst part of an ensemble show such as The White Lotus is that characters like Chelsea don't get as much screen time as we'd desire. But fans of Wood can turn to Toxic Town for more.
The show, which premiered Feb. 27, ranks as the No. 1 program on Netflix in Britain (it's No. 4 globally), and it's the story of the Corby toxic waste case, which some people refer to as a British "Erin Brockovich" story. Wood, along with two other powerhouse actors, Bridgerton's Claudia Jessie and Doctor Who's Jodie Whittaker, play mothers whose children were born with birth defects as a result of one of the worst toxic waste scandals in UK history. The four-episode limited series is a bit of a departure for Wood, whose subtle comedic talents are often put to good use in her other TV projects, but in Toxic Town she offers an emotionally devastating performance as Tracey Taylor, a mother grieving the death of her newborn.
The fact that Wood appears in the two shows, which are both among the most-watched series on their platforms for the week (The White Lotus is No. 1 on Max), and offers two completely different but equally brilliant performances definitely qualifies her as having a moment.
Toxic Town is out now, and The White Lotus airs Sundays on HBO and Max. And if you haven't watched Wood in the great Sex Education yet, all five seasons of that show are on Netflix, and you can also catch her in the miniseries Alice & Jack (available through PBS Passport) and in the film Living (Prime Video), a historical drama in which she co-stars with Bill Nighy.
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