Welcome to the White Lotus in Thailand ka.” So begins the trailer for season three of writer-director Mike White’s highly anticipated killer HBO dramedy, which revels in making the clueless overprivileged hotel guests at the White Lotus suffer with each (metaphorical) twist of the knife.
The first season in 2021, set in Hawaii, was a breakout hit, cementing Jennifer Coolidge’s icon status and giving Australian actor Murray Bartlett the career boost he so richly deserved. Both took home best supporting actor Emmys for their roles, while White won best writing and the show won the limited series category. In season two, in 2022, White dialled the dread up, with the sex-and-lies-fuelled drama taking place in the shadow of a rumbling Mount Etna in Sicily. Now, for season three, White has turned his gaze towards Asia.
Where is it set?
This season was filmed in Bangkok, Koh Samui and Phuket. Unlike seasons one and two, where the entitled shenanigans took place at one hotel – the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea in Hawaii and the San Domenico Palace in Taormina, Sicily – the action for season three is reportedly spread across two hotels: the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui and the Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas.
White had apparently settled on Japan for season three, but switched to Thailand after being offered a 30 per cent tax rebate by the Thai government.
Who is in it?
With season one and two favourite Tanya “the gays are trying to murder me” McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge) out of the picture, the only returning character – that we know of so far – is Natasha Rothwell, who plays spa manager Belinda Lindsey, who is on “exchange” in Thailand from the White Lotus in Hawaii. She says, “I’m starting to think something good is going to come out of this.” Oh Belinda, how wrong you are.
Nathasha Rothwell returns as spa manager Belinda in season three of The White Lotus.
As for the guests, Jason Isaacs and Parker Posey play a wealthy businessman and his wife, Timothy and Victoria, who are holidaying with their three children, played by Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook and Sam Nivola.
Michelle Monaghan, Leslie Bibb and Carrie Coon, meanwhile, are three friends who reunite for a girls’ holiday, while Walton Goggins is the obnoxious Rick Hatchett, who is on a retreat with his much younger girlfriend Chelsea, played by Aimee Lou Wood. K-pop star Lisa, from the band Blackpink, also features.
Walton Goggins as Rick Hatchett and Aimee Lou Wood as Chelsea in season three of The White Lotus.
Tanya’s money-grabbing husband, the oily Greg (Jon Gries), is the real question mark. He was in the first two seasons, and there are theories he was on the boat when Tanya fell overboard. If he does turn up, we can only hope he’ll be hunted down by Tanya’s loyal assistant Portia (Hayley Lu Richardson). #justicefortanya
What’s going on?
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After the end of season two, White said he wanted to look at “death and Eastern religion and spirituality”.
“The first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is sex,” White told HBO. “I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality. It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus.”
Who will die, though, is the big question. Season two ended with a bloodbath on a boat, while season one knocked off hotel manager Armond (the brilliant Murray Bartlett). The season three trailer shows a gun and hints at a whole lot of depravity, as only White can do.
Is there a season four?
What? The body isn’t even cold yet and you want more? Lucky for you, White apparently has ideas for a fourth season already. Although nothing has been formally commissioned, last month HBO boss Casey Bloys told Variety that “Mike, obviously – if he wants to move forward and do the four seasons – he will do the fourth season.” Australia, anyone?
