‘The White Lotus’: Shocking New Arrival — and Even More Shocking Kiss

by

[This story contains spoilers from The White Lotus season three, episode five, “Full-Moon Party.”]

T
A White Lotus party is the best, and you can’t have a real White Lotus party without some adult activities like sex and drug use. But wait a minute, did someone just kiss their brother at the party?

If viewers thought the season three premiere’s suggestive scene between brothers Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola) was controversial, episode five took things to another level as every single character on The White Lotus partied hard — or, in the case of surprise cast member Sam Rockwell, stopped partying all together. 

It says a lot that Rockwell’s arrival on the show as a recovering-sex-addict-turned-Buddhist isn’t the most stunning moment of the evening. Perhaps it shouldn’t be all that surprising, considering Rockwell is married to Leslie Bibb, who stars this season as Trump voter Kate. But the content of Rockwell’s role is certainly shocking, given what he tells old pal Rick (Walton Goggins) about his time in Thailand, and the escapades that brought him to give up alcohol and drugs in favor of religion and chamomile tea. It’s not a one-off appearance for the actor either, as Rick asks his friend to stick around for some “role playing,” pulling him deeper into his revenge scheme.

However, that’s not the biggest twist this week, as things between Kate (Bibb), Laurie (Carrie Coon), and Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) are heating up significantly. In a surprising turn of events after a night out, instead of Laurie sleeping with Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius) as suggested by Jaclyn, it’s Jaclyn who ends up pursuing Valentin behind Laurie’s back. This unexpected move adds another layer to their complex relationship dynamics.

The most surprising turn of events occurred in the Ratliff family plotline, despite Timothy (Jason Isaacs) being at the center of discussions recently because of his prosthetic penis controversy; he is on the brink of suicide to escape the repercussions of his financial scandal, but instead finishes the episode seeking divine guidance. Although Tim seems to be holding on, he may experience a complete breakdown when he learns about this week’s events involving his sons, Saxon and Lochlan, who shared a kiss during a drug-induced party, encouraged by Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon).

“If you watch the other seasons, you have an idea of what Mike White’s looking for,” Schwarzenegger tells The Hollywood Reporter of Saxon and what this week’s episode introduces about the brothers. “I remember the first time he told me what he was looking for with this role, how he wanted him to be this kind of douchebag that was so ridiculous, so without a filter. But also really funny and charismatic — that you loved to hate him, but you also kind of love him.”

Schwarzenegger notes that Saxon’s kiss with his brother Lochlan adds to the intricacy of the character, stating, “The impact on screen may appear shocking, but there is always a deeper layer to it.

Nivola, who plays Lochlan, agrees about the importance of this moment. “He’s just an incredibly insecure guy, a real people pleaser who needs something from the people,” he tells THR. “He’s not very self-sufficient, he needs love and support from the people around him in his life, and I think he’s willing to go to all the lengths to find the people he loves.

There is a constant tug-of-war between his desires related to sex, and Piper’s attempts to shape his future,” he explains. “However, in Lochlan’s case, I believe he doesn’t care which direction he goes. Instead, it seems like he will choose the path that feels like it’s with the person who loves him the most.” Time will reveal the answer.

***

The White Lotus releases new episodes Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO and Max. Head here for THR‘s season coverage and interviews.

Read More

2025-03-17 05:25