A brand new season of The White Lotus means a brand new hotel, new location, new staff, new guests, and arguably most importantly– new deaths. If you’ve been online in the last few years, you’ve probably heard of this acclaimed show. The White Lotus season one, set in Hawaii, made its premiere on HBO in 2021 and went on to win 5 Emmy awards in 2022. Since then, a second season, set in Italy, was released in 2022 which then went on to win a Golden Globe. After a few years hiatus, the staff of The White Lotus make their return, but this time in Thailand. 

The Cast

A familiar face returning this season is beloved character “Belinda” played by Natasha Rothwell. As a staff member at The WhiteLotus Hawaii in season one, Rothwell will be reprising her role as spa manager. She reflects on when Mike White, creator of The White Lotus, asked her to dinner after finishing season two in order to propose her role in the third season. Rothwell said,

“I told him I’d follow him anywhere, and I meant it. I didn’t know where the shoot or the storyline were, it was just a yes” (The Hollywood Reporter). 

Another notable addition to the cast is Blackpink member Lisa, or Lalisa Manobal, who will be playing a guest health mentor alongside Morgana O’Reilly (Housebound). Other members of the cast include: Carrie Coon and Scott Glenn, Walton Goggins, Leslie Bibb, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Dom Hetrakul, Jason Isaacs, Tayme Thapthimthong, Sarah Catherine Hook, Sam Nivola, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Aimee Lou Wood, Nicholas Duvernay, Francesca Corney, Arnas Fedaravičius, Christian Friedel, Lek Patravadi and Shalini Peiris.

The Characters

Season one of The White Lotus followed a family of four and a guest on vacation, a couple on their honeymoon, and a woman on a solo trip to scatter her mother’s ashes. Season two followed two couples, the same woman from the first season (Jennifer Coolidge), her assistant and her husband, a father-son-grandfather trio, and two local girls who interact with almost all of the guests. Both seasons followed hotel managers played by Murray Bartlett and Sabrina Impacciatore, The White Lotus Hawaii and Italy respectively. This season we’re expecting to see three friends on a girls trip, a southern family of five, and a couple alongside the typical hotel staff.

The Plot

Although both of the previous seasons opened with a shot of an unidentified dead body and spent the season building up to this point, White says that he might not open season three with a dead body. The show, a comedy-satire which focuses on the aspects of class and relationships and just how money can change people, is expected to be “longer and crazier” than the previous season as well as “much much darker.” Set in Thailand, this season is focusing on the Eastern spirituality and religious aspects of life, and many of the characters are said to be “completely different” by the end of the season. Altogether, it’s set up to be an intense season. 

How to Watch

The White Lotus season three will be airing weekly on Sundays on the streaming service HBO Max. The first episode aired this past Sunday and it is giving just enough of that classic White Lotus flair while incorporating many different aspects of the new cast and location. Tune in to see what’s to come for this season’s guests!