‘The White Lotus’ season 3 cast tease what else is in store

From the coastal beaches of Hawaii to the sunny serenity of Sicily, the latest season of the award-winning The White Lotus sees a new group of tourists visit Thailand‘s buzzy and charming cities. But the Land of Smiles has more in store for them as dark secrets and twisted truths of the wealthy guests and staff come to light on what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation.

Over a week, the idyllic wellness resort will be turned upside down as heady exploits and seedy desires converge in startling, and in some instances, murderous ways. With Mike White’s The White Lotus season 3 currently airing, audiences already can’t get enough of the eclectic group of affluent tourists and what their true intentions are behind their primed smiles and branded shades. 

Ahead, we speak to the cast of The White Lotus season 3—Jason Isaacs, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Natasha Rothwell, Parker Posey, Sarah Catherine Hook, Sam Nivola, Lek Patravadi, Dom Hetrakul—on becoming a part of The White Lotus family, Thai (mis)adventures, and what the satirical black comedy still has in store for audiences.

On Thai representation

What was it like to be a part of such a huge production like The White Lotus? 

Dom Hetakrul: Well, to be honest, I had no clue what The White Lotus series was [laughs]. I got called for an audition and it went great. Being a part of the show was an amazing experience, it was an honour to work with all the cast members who were very nice indeed. And the storyline is exceptional.

Especially since the background is set in Thailand, the show has stayed true to that with showcasing our Thai hospitality, customs, cultures, norms, and so on. 

Lek Patravadi: I think it’s destiny because I never accept roles for foreign films. In fact, I haven’t starred in Thai films for the past 20 years! I resigned long ago and want to live quietly so I refused to come to the audition. But they went all the way to my home in Hoi Hin to audition me and it was then that I met Khun Mike White. 

I could feel that there was something different about his personality and my feeling towards him as a director. So I read the script and I thought, “Wow, it’s a script really for my country.”  It’s fun and it has many angles of looking at things, especially about religion and Buddhism. Mike knows a lot about Buddhism.

Most importantly, the way he looks and shows different ways of exploring religion is very fair and, to me, it’s very respectful. So, I decided to join. Like Dom, I didn’t know about The White Lotus either so I had to watch the first two seasons. I think Mike is a great director and the story, while it looks simple, has a lot of depth to it. 

How would you describe your characters?

Dom: Pornchai is a spa manager who massages people to make them feel better. He always helps people, but then again, no one is there for him in some sense. He works with Belinda who returns from the first season and is quite similar to her. 

Lek: I think Sritala’s problem is she’s not content. She married well and she’s rich. She’s like those people who have all the money but inside, she feels empty. She has a lot of passion for her art and that’s why she’s not entirely happy.

As Thais, what was your first reaction when you found out that your home country was going to be a part of The White Lotus? 

Dom: It’s great! Thailand is one of the best tourist attractions in the world. It’s truly an exceptional experience holidaying here, whether  you’re coming for a business trip, family vacay or retiring. So I’m really happy for audiences to know more about Thailand and come visit! 

Lek: As Thais, we are already very familiar with our home country, so I wanted to see how Mike White presents Thailand. And he’s done so in a different perspective, which is very clever, beautiful, and surprising. I’m sure audiences will feel that too. 

On problematic men

The Ratliffs are a powerful but dysfunctional family. How would you describe Timothy’s role within it? 

Jason Isaacs: He’s an enormously powerful, iconic figure where he comes from. He’s from old money. He’s got generational wealth and status. And to him, his reputation in the community and his position in the family as the great patriarch is everything.

With it being set in Thailand, Mike White takes Timothy to a place where his ego is not just challenged, but almost erased. And that’s what his journey is. 

In the show, Saxon is the resident troublemaker at the luxury resort. Any hints about what kind of mischief is in store this season? 

Patrick Schwarzenegger: I think Saxon is someone who gets into a lot of mischief—with different… well, I’m not sure how much I can say without spoiling anything [laughs]. But I’d say he’s never really faced consequences before because he’s so entitled. Trouble never seems to stick to him. He just likes to have a good time. But you’re gonna see soon that Mike doesn’t let us have a good time for very long, and in this way, the audience will.

What drew you both to your characters in The White Lotus? 

Patrick: I think when I first got this role, I didn’t know much about the character, nor had I read any of the scripts. But what drew me to it was the fact that it was getting to work with Mike White and being a part of The White Lotus, which I already was a huge fan of. 

So, for me, it didn’t really matter what kind of role it was to a certain extent, because once I read the script, my mouth was on the ground shocked at what is to come. But that didn’t stop me from signing on and working with Mike. 

Jason: In my nearly 40-year career as an actor, I’ve found that the moments when I’ve done my best work—or even received the most praise and awards—have always been when I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by brilliant writing. 

Mike is a magnificent excavator of the human condition; an entertainer. He knows exactly how to grip you, move you, make you laugh and make you think. And those qualities are very, very rare. It turns out the surprise was what a brilliant director he was as well. 

What was it like working together and with the rest of the Ratliff family? 

Jason: We had a really fun time filming together and got very close as a family group. We created real bonds on and off set and I think the chemistry that we were able to build as a family was really helpful during filming.

Acting is a wonderful collaborative art but it also can be, in the wrong atmosphere, competitive in a sense. The relationships off screen really helped us give each other that room and generosity on screen. 

People can try and shut each other down. And speaking for me, I really enjoyed watching Patrick, Sam, and Sarah Catherine play my kids, just watching them shine, and do their stuff. They’re all so great in their very individual ways.

The series exposes human flaws in raw and often dark comedic ways. Was there a scene or a moment that made you reflect on your own views about relationships, money and morality? 

Patrick: I don’t know if there was a specific scene for myself, but I think reading the full script, Mike challenges you to think about something more than just what’s on the screen. He likes to show the farcical nature of these rich people at a hotel, and these deprecating moments about them.

But he also has a lot of other deeper and richer meanings throughout the show that I think when you watch it, you discover new things every time.

The White Lotus thrives on its charred social commentary. What aspects of privilege, power or human nature do you think season 3 critiques most effectively? 

Jason: It’s a bigger, wider, broader, deeper, richer, funnier, sexier, more profound canvas than what Mike’s played on before. I think he’s started as a wonderful writer. He’s become more confident and empowered as a writer and he wants to dig deeper. There is no aspect of human behaviour that’s not going to be explored in season 3. 

The series is currently airing. Does watching the show now feel different or bring back specific moments? 

Patrick: Yeah, it’s a totally different experience watching the show than when you’re reading the script. Now, you actually get to sit back and enjoy the show in a non-objective way. That’s why I also chose not to read a lot of the scenes in the script from other characters.

I want to be a viewer and go into it not knowing everything about the storyline. So, for me, it’s been a true joy to watch The White Lotus and honestly not know where it’s going to go.

Jason: I love my “kids” in real life. I really adore Patrick, Sam, and Sarah Catherine. So, watching them do all their stuff and shine, which I didn’t get to witness because they filmed those scenes away from me, is great.

As for the other storylines, I honestly forgot they were in it! [laughs] I thought it was just the Ratliff show and turns out, there are other really great things going on. So I’m intrigued. Like audiences at home, I’m desperate to find out what happens next. 

The White Lotus is such a specific and unique experience. What is your main takeaway after filming the whole season? 

Jason: That I’ll never have a job quite like this again [laughs]. There are moments when I’m filming the show that I’m maybe complaining or wishing to be back home in LA, and with my family. But at the end of the day, there’s no other experience quite like this that you’re filming at a five-star hotel with the group of individuals for almost six and a half months.

You really bond and it becomes a family with the cast and with the crew. It’s just like a sleepaway camp mixed with work and pleasure.

On complicated siblings

What was your first reaction when you read the script for this season? 

Sarah Catherine Hook: You know, it’s so fun. We’ve been talking about how our experience of  watching the show is so different to how audiences will be watching it, because the whole time they’re thinking “who dies?” 

They’re trying to put those pieces together now but that was our experience reading the script. When I first read it, I was coming up with all of these predictions and then got completely blown away by it all.

Describe what your character in the show is like.

Sam Nivola: Lochlan is just a really insecure teenager who’s just now finding his way in the world and trying to figure out who he is.

Sarah Catherine: And similarly, Piper is an insecure college girl who’s also figuring out who she is. You can see that the Ratliff family is not a normal bunch. So, Piper and Lochlan really got to fight their way through the chaos. 

The Ratliff siblings are getting a lot of attention right now. What is the dynamic between the three of you? 

Sarah: There’s this tug of war between Saxon and Piper. They’re fighting over Lochlan and want his attention, love, and validation for our beliefs and what we think is the way of life. So that’s a lot of their dynamic.

And I do think Piper really sees Lochlan as a little security blanket. He’s so gentle and pure, and Piper sees a lot of potential in him. I think she’s like, “I can get him on my side. I got this.” 

Sam: Lochlan is stuck between his older sister and his older brother, which is a tough spot to be in. And he’s also looking for the right way to live his life. I think to a certain extent, he doesn’t really care about the philosophies that they’re pushing on him.

What he really cares about is just wanting to feel loved, accepted, and paid attention to by these people that he very much looks up to.

Was there anything you learned from your cast members or any new experiences you discovered in Thailand? 

Sam: Well, a new experience we had was meeting Moo Deng, the hippo! The two of us got to meet her, and it was absolutely amazing—honestly, one of the best days of my life!

Sarah: I knew Sam was going to freak out! I was like, “Sam’s going to be so happy to see Moo Deng.” I went just to see Sam’s reaction—it was priceless.

On motherly figures

You weren’t just working with people from the States—you had Thai crew members as well. What was it like collaborating with them?

Parker Posey: The care that was given on set was incredible. They took care of us through sickness, translated for us, and made sure we had everything we needed. And beyond the Thai crew, there was also an Italian crew. Mike picked up people along the way, so the production was a mix of international talent. It was inspiring to work with so many multilingual, multicultural professionals. Meanwhile, I’m just here struggling through Spanish 101 on Duolingo! [laughs]

Natasha Rothwell: Honestly, it puts Americans to shame in some ways. It’s no easy feat to be on a set where you’re constantly translating and navigating language barriers, but there was this universal language of creativity and storytelling.

Even if you didn’t speak Thai, there was this unspoken connection—whether it was a smile, a wink, or a nod. The Thai crew’s work ethic was phenomenal. We had about 200 drivers, and they worked so hard. To have so many people focused on bringing this story to life was an absolute joy to witness.

What does Victoria Ratliff bring to The White Lotus Season 3?

Parker: Victoria Ratliff is married to Timothy Ratliff, who’s in some serious trouble with his firm. They have a lot of money and a lot to lose, and Victoria… well, she’s not exactly stable.

One of the fun things about The White Lotus is that you’re playing characters that people don’t fully trust. You never really know what they’re capable of or if they can handle the pressure. There’s a lot at stake for the Ratliff family this season.

And Belinda, she was in Season 1 and now we see her again in Season 3. How has she changed?

Natasha: At the end of Season 1, we saw Belinda devastated. It’s a vulnerable thing to share your dreams with someone, and when they’re crushed, it hurts. She went through the five stages of grief, but now she’s in a place of acceptance. She doesn’t want to let someone else decide her fate anymore. This season, she takes control of her own life—she goes on this trip, tries something new, and really owns her destiny.

That said, I think when people go through something like that, the pendulum can swing too far. She was once too dependent on others, and now she’s fiercely independent, maybe to a fault. We’ll see her struggle to find that balance—learning how to be vulnerable again while still maintaining control over her life.

The White Lotus really does an incredible job of portraying real people with real struggles. The characters feel so authentic and the mysteries keep us hooked.

Besides you two being besties in real life, which cast member or character did you enjoy working with the most?

Natasha: Dom is so kind and generous as an actor. I’ve been doing this a while, and working with someone so present, giving, and curious was a joy. Finding our characters together, having conversations about his interpretation of Pornchai and what Belinda meant to him—it was really rewarding.

So much of an actor’s life on set is “hurry up and wait.” You shoot, then wait for the cameras to reset. In those moments, we’d just connect, have these great artistic conversations. Dom’s wonderful—his wife is amazing; his daughter is incredible. It was a sweet partnership. It was fun doing group scenes too, like the breakfast ones, where we all got to hang out and work together.

How has being in The White Lotus impacted your acting career?

Natasha: Season 1 changed my life. I was nominated for an Emmy, which truly came out of nowhere for me. I remember setting my alarm to remind myself to congratulate Jennifer Coolidge because I knew she’d be nominated based on the reception. 

In this industry, recognition from your peers—especially the Academy—changes how Hollywood sees you. I had done Insecure, which was a comedy. The White Lotus gave me the chance to show that I could do drama too. That changed everything. This show has opened doors for me, and I hope to do the same for others.

Mike is so special. He can be shy, and I can be effusive—my therapist says I need to stop that—but I always corner him and tell him, “You changed my life.” He’ll brush it off, say something funny, but I make him lock in and hear it [laughs]. Few shows have the weight and impact of The White Lotus.

Parker: The show came at such a pivotal time—during COVID—when culture needed something. No one had really done a show with such a sharp lens on class, privilege, and power dynamics in America, mixed with a whodunit aspect.

You’d think more narratives would tap into this, but few break into the mainstream like The White Lotus has. It’s a privilege to be part of something so unique.

Catch the eight-episode third season of The White Lotus every Monday on Max and HBO (Astro Ch 411 / Unifi TV Ch 401).

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