SPOILERS are forward for Episode 1 and a couple of of The White Lotus Season 3, now streaming with a Max subscription. Don’t learn forward till you’ve mentally checked into the Thai resort.
After the destiny of Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya McQuoid grew to become one of many most stunning deaths of 2022 TV, the frequent thread this season is Natasha Rothwell’s Belinda Lindsey, who was launched because the kind-hearted spa supervisor within the Maui resort. This time round she is having fun with her personal trip on the Thailand department when she crosses paths with Tanya’s personal husband, Greg – who very nicely doubtless had her killed by some murderous gays residing in Italy. When CinemaBlend spoke to Natasha Rothwell, she informed us about coming again to the sequence following its viral reputation, and why we should always very a lot be involved for Belinda.
Throughout my interview with Natasha Rothwell on the Los Angeles press day earlier this month, she mirrored on coming aboard The White Lotus earlier than it was an award-winning phenomenon. As Rothwell shared:
[Season 1] I used to be terrified, however not for in all probability the explanations you suppose. It was 2020 center of Covid pre-vaccination. I used to be nonetheless wiping down groceries, and I obtained the decision and now I am presupposed to get on a aircraft. And, there was a lot worry simply on the planet at the moment, and it made it really feel like we have been on this little tiny bubble of artistic arts. And so, it was so particular, proper? As a result of we could not go away, we have been there every single day, you already know, we’re working, sleeping, consuming, you already know, hanging out all in the identical place. And so, I do not suppose I am going to ever be in that circumstance once more. It actually simply created this distinctive household.
As it’s possible you’ll recall, when Mike White’s sequence was first made for HBO, it was presupposed to be a six-episode miniseries that will be completed for good after the tip of its insulated season. Nevertheless, after it grew to become so well-liked, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than the present was renewed and crafted into an anthology sequence. As Rothwell continued:
After which, you chop to Season 3 and every thing’s larger, the solid listing is large and the manufacturing worth’s insane, however there’s additionally this frequent denominator of Mike White and the staff he has. After I confirmed up for Season 3, we had the identical DP, we had the identical AD, the identical hair and make-up staff, the identical wardrobe, and costume staff. And so, it felt like coming house, regardless that lots has modified. I feel Mike has carried out lots to guard the guts of the present.
Natasha Rothwell was not a part of the Italy season the place Tanya died, however she most definitely tuned in and “screamed” and threw her cellphone “throughout the room.” The actress additionally texted Jennifer Coolidge over the massive improvement in disbelief of the second. Now that she’s a significant a part of the plotline in Season 3, right here’s what she teased in our interview:
It is so fantastic to be a personality that audiences look to be like, ‘Is that this cool?’ or ‘That is loopy, proper?’ She’s such a grounding drive, I feel for the arc of this season. And, yeah, I am very protecting of that. I wanna be capable of kind of painting her in a approach the place, I’m a spot of security, a little bit little bit of hen soup for the soul, for audiences which can be viewing. However this time, she’s not as secure from what is going on on and there is the specter of hazard that’s taking away the peace that she went there to hunt. And I feel audiences are gonna be nervous for her, and rightfully so.
Contemplating The White Lotus follows a slew of extraordinarily wealthy friends of the fictional resort, many viewers members, like myself, will notably connect themselves to Belinda, as a result of she’s not used to the wild issues in these fancy resorts like pillow menus that the precise resort actually had. Whereas Belinda was just about on the sidelines in Season 1 of the scandal, this time it appears she may find yourself in the course of it with Tanya’s husband staying concurrently her.
Oof, now we have so many theories about White Lotus Season 3 already, however I actually hope that Belinda doesn’t find yourself being Greg’s subsequent sufferer! Extra episodes of the present are within the 2025 TV schedule each Sunday.