Actress Captains White House Situation Room Amid Nuclear Brink

On October 21, 2025, the upcoming Netflix thriller "A House of Dynamite" is set to captivate audiences with its exploration of a global crisis. The film, directed by Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow, follows the events that unfold when a "single, unattributed missile is launched at the United States," triggering a race to determine the responsible party and how to respond.

At the heart of the story is actress Jessica Ferguson, who portrays Olivia Walker, the woman in charge of the White House's Situation Room during this high-stakes scenario. Ferguson, 42, reveals that she learned from a former senior director of the real-life Situation Room, Larry Pfeiffer, who was on set every day to ensure the authenticity of the scenes.

"He taught us to never lose your cool in the Situation Room," Ferguson explains. "If you need a break, you leave, you walk out, because you have to maintain calm in every situation." The actress adds that the film showcases the humanity behind these high-pressure decision-makers, who "train over once or twice a day, 400 times a year for events like this" but are also human beings with families and daily lives.

"A House of Dynamite" had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in September and features an ensemble cast that includes Idris Elba, Gabriel Basso, Anthony Ramos, and Renée Elise Goldsberry. Ferguson calls it "one of my favorite films that I've ever been in," as it explores the "different perspectives and sediments of information" that shape the response to a global crisis.