NBA Legend Inspired The White Lotus, Perfect For Season 4 Cameo

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With The White Lotus Season 3 now concluded, we have a clear understanding of who perished, who survived, and who may be evading authorities. Already eagerly anticipating Season 4 of this HBO sensation, I can’t help but ponder about NBA legend Phil Jackson’s potential role. Let me explain how the Hall of Fame coach could potentially become part of the storyline – it’s not entirely unconnected.

How Phil Jackson Helped Inspire Mike White To Create The White Lotus

One of the co-producers for ‘The White Lotus’, Dave Bernad, recently discussed the show’s origins on ‘The Bill Simmons Podcast’. It turns out that the creator, Mike White, had conceived the idea for a dark comedy as early as 2008 while in Tarifa, Spain. At that time, Bernad was White’s assistant, and he was first introduced to the concept of a show about a young couple on their honeymoon in Europe, where the groom returns but the bride doesn’t, creating a mystery. This initial idea eventually evolved into ‘The White Lotus’, but initially, HBO did not find it appealing and rejected the series.

Essentially, Phil Jackson’s presence was a recurring element that sparked the concept for the show. This is because White frequently encountered Jackson while jetting between luxurious European hotels, where they happened to have coincidentally scheduled their stays. As Bernad described it, both White and Jackson had chosen remarkably similar travel itineraries, staying at the same hotels. In conversation with Bill Simmons, Bernad detailed how White subsequently refined his idea based on these encounters.

During their honeymoon, this couple will be visiting various hotels, yet they’ll encounter the same individuals at every establishment.

In another twist, this rendition of the series was rejected, this time by Amazon Prime. Fortunately, the tale didn’t end there, and eventually, White and Bernad crossed paths with Jennifer Coolidge. White penned four episodes for a murder mystery show set in an enchanting locale (Sri Lanka), featuring Coolidge as a precursor to Tanya, whom she had made popular during the first two seasons of the series. Unfortunately, that show too couldn’t find a platform, but the groundwork was already laid. In the end, he amalgamated several concepts into The White Lotus.

HBO began production on the series in July 2020 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, as executives sought productions that could be filmed within a safe “bubble,” such as a story set at a single tropical resort. Now that the show is a success, we’re eager for one of its inspirations to make an appearance on screen.

What If Jackson Was One Of The Guests?

It’s proposed that Mike White, a Survivor veteran, could subtly include some of his past tribemates in the show as background characters, similar to how they might consider casting Jackson in a small role. He doesn’t necessarily need a significant part; even a brief appearance where he plays a version of himself would be thrilling for Season 4.

Perhaps, while welcoming the fresh arrivals, he might happen to cross paths with someone who recognizes him. This could be an amusing surprise appearance that maintains the narrative flow and doesn’t detract from the overall show, but instead honors White’s initial concept for the widely acclaimed series.

If you haven’t yet watched Season 3 of “The White Lotus”, there seems to be no reason why not! With a Max subscription, you’ll have the chance to find out why Phil Jackson could make an entertaining guest appearance on the series.

Ready to dive into the captivating world of “The White Lotus”? Start watching Season 3 (plus all previous seasons) right now on our platform! For just $9.99 a month, you can enjoy our Ads plan, with three subscription tiers to choose from. Or, if you’d prefer, prepay for an entire year and save up to 20%! Grab this deal today!

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2025-04-09 12:07