If you haven’t heard of The White Lotus, have you (and I mean this in the nicest way possible) perhaps been living under rock?
The anthology series – created, written, and directed by Mike White – first premiered in 2021 and was instantly lauded by critics and viewers alike for its sharp social satire, fabulous vacay fashion, and deeply flawed but enjoyable-to-watch characters.
Today, The White Lotus has won a staggering 15 Emmy Awards and is the preferred topic of choice for water cooler chat at The Weekly’s office; especially as the Season 3 finale is about to premiere on new streaming service Max.
And so, I obviously jumped at the chance to catch up with Leslie Bibb and Natasha Rothwell, who both star in Season 3, to talk about all things White Lotus.
I will admit though, that when I first found out that I’d be interviewing Leslie and Natasha together, I thought it was an odd pairing – their respective characters, Kate and Belinda, never really interact and their storylines barely intersect.
However, when I walked into the room, the chemistry between Leslie and Natasha was palpable.
And as my time with them unfolded, it was clear the two are definitely great friends in real life; which made for a dynamic interview.
Read The Weekly’s full interview with Leslie and Natasha below…
The Weekly: Natasha, Belinda’s return this season was such a happy surprise; when did you find out Belinda – and you – were returning for Season 3?
Natasha: Yeah, I was [surprised] too! Season 2 was filming and that year the Emmys for the previous year were being held. And so, Mike [White] came back from Italy for the Emmys, and he wanted to meet up for dinner while he was in town.
And he was like, ‘I’m shooting [Season] 2, but I’m already thinking about three, and I might wanna have Belinda back. Would you be down?’ And I was like, absolutely!
At that point, I didn’t know when or where or anything [about Season 3]. I just knew the answer is always yes with Mike.
I’ve been in this industry for a while, so I know nothing’s real until you put pen to paper. And I’m a writer as well, so I also know that things change once you start the writing process. So I never wanted to hold him to that.
But after he had written the scripts, all systems go. He reached out a second time and he’s just like, ‘Are you ready? Are your bags packed?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah!’
And Leslie, what was it like joining the iconic White Lotus franchise? Had you seen the first two seasons before being cast?
Leslie: I mean, I don’t know who hasn’t seen Seasons 1 and 2. It was so exciting to get cast, but then this load [was lifted onto my shoulders]. I was like, ‘Oh God, don’t screw this up!’ This show is so beloved, so there was a little bit of that pressure.
But it was so nice to have Natasha there who’s been through it once and I think all of us – the entire cast – was like, ‘Can I talk about it?’
Natasha: Let’s talk [laughs].
Leslie: But she was so great and such a good captain. She really buoyed us and was like, ‘You’re gonna be okay. Mike, trust him. Trust him. Whatever happens, whatever he says, he’ll never drop you.’ And it’s true. He never drops you.
Natasha, you obviously worked closely with Jennifer Coolidge on Season 1; we recently spoke to her and she said she really wants justice for Tanya. She wants Greg to get that comeuppance; have you spoken to her at all about this season?
Natasha: Yes! Uh, obviously prior to the show coming out, everything was under lock and key.
But after the first couple of episodes aired, [Jennifer] texted me and she was so sweet.
Actually, when it was announced that I was coming back, she texted me this really long text that, in summary, was, ‘Go girl!’ And I was like, ‘Thanks!’
The last time she texted me, she’s like, ‘Get him!’ [Laughs].
Leslie: [Laughs] So funny. Greg! He’s like a cockroach. He just doesn’t go away! He keeps coming back and he’s a real marauder, that guy.
I’d love to talk about the complex friendship dynamics that your character Kate has with Jaclyn and Laurie? How did you approach that; have you ever had that sort of ‘frenemies’ relationship in real life?
Leslie: Well, it’s funny. I never approached when working on it like, ‘Oh, this is a frenemy.’ It never was like anything –
Natasha: But we are frenemies [laughs].
Leslie: Yeah [laughs]. No; this is how rumours get started! No, we’re not!
Natasha: We’re not.
Leslie: God, Natasha, someone’s going to run with that!
Natasha: I’m so sorry [laughs].
Leslie: No, but to me – and it sounds counterintuitive – I think it’s very important to Kate for these friendships to make it through. To literally survive and figuratively survive this trip.
I think her vulnerability and her insecurities is what I sort of rooted everything in with her. And from that, you know, how that unfolds is something else.
Natasha: It’s one of my favorite storylines this season, the girls. I think that each of them possess qualities that the other should.
And I think any good friendship, you kind of find yourself drawn to someone who will complement you. So, they’re just watching other members of the group shine in areas they lack.
Leslie: Yeah, right?!
Natasha: The way [Mike] captured that kind of jealous, competitive sort of thing is really cool.
Leslie: I keep saying [Kate, Jaclyn and Laurie’s relationship is based on] that comparative way we look at one another or each other’s lives. It’s that take of, ‘They’re important because their life looks better,’ but I think it’s all a facade.
It’s like this [gesturing to her suit]! It looks like I’m wearing this great suit. But it’s borrowed, it’s going back to Victoria Beckham. It doesn’t get to stay in my closet. Like, do you know what I mean? This idea of what you think is really happening versus –
Natasha: You’re comparing your inside to someone’s outsides.
Leslie: Oh, that’s a good one.
Natasha: So there’s always going to be some dissonance there, where you’re just not able to catch up. You have to remind yourself, you know, what you’re seeing is not who someone really is.
Natasha, you briefly touched on how people who complement each other make for a good relationship; how did you develop that really lovely, complementary mother-son dynamic with Nicholas Duvernay (who plays Belinda’s son Zion)?
Natasha: He’s just so wonderful and delightful.
I got to Koh Samui in Thailand before he did. And when he arrived we had this big cast dinner, but he slept through it because he –
Leslie: My God, that’s right! He slept through it.
Natasha: We were all texting him. We’re like, ‘Where is he?’ He had just landed and he was so tired.
So I messaged him, I was like, ‘Let’s just you and me grab dinner,’ because I wanted to get to know him. And you know, he’s slightly younger than me [laughs], so I thought, ‘Oh, he definitely wants to hang out with some of the younger kids in the cast, so we’ll just make it a quick drink.’
But we ended up having like a four hour dinner on the beach and he’s so deep and wonderful and smart and kind and symmetrical [laughs].
Leslie: Very symmetrical.
Natasha: I think too, I spent a lot of time in my life in teaching roles and so being around someone who was younger and finding an affinity to sort of encourage them on and off screen kind of came naturally.
Leslie: They have a great dynamic. I felt like, as a witness to it, it happened immediately.
Natasha: Yeah. It happened really quickly and he’s just so warm and generous and –
Leslie: He’s got a kind heart.
Natasha: And the way the storylines in the show [rarely intersect], everyone’s sort of like in their own little world. And so, Nicholas and I were always in our little bubble.
Leslie: And because we shot out of order, he got to be there the whole time. So, you get to create real relationships, because you’re; we were there for six to seven months. I think it really helps the show itself, these relationships.
And finally, we have to talk about the Sam Rockwell monologue.
Leslie: Oh yes, my beloved!
Did he run lines with you for that or was that as surprising to you as it was for all of us?
Leslie: Well, no, obviously. I mean, I had some inkling that it was happening, but the story is he was shooting a movie in South Africa and I was gonna go see him in South Africa but his movie kept pushing [filming back] and we kept pushing [back].
So, my time with him was going to be much shorter because I had to get back to Bangkok and then Mike and [White Lotus executive producer] David Bernad were like, ‘Hey, do you think Sam would want to?’
And I said to Dave; he came into the gym, and I was on the treadmill, and he was like, ‘Did you hear?’
I was like, ‘Yeah, I heard. But listen, you can’t be mad at me if he doesn’t do it. That jet plane’s gonna fly whichever way it’s gonna fly. I don’t wrangle him.’
And [Sam and I] don’t sort of mix pleasure and work. Plus, he was on the fence about it just because the monologue is so big and he really likes a lot of prep time, and he wasn’t going to get that.
But I kept saying to him, ‘I’ll get you off book for that monologue’
So, we went on Safari. I went to see him and we’d go out for a game drive in the morning, and then I’d be like, ‘Come on, let’s run lines.’
He’s like, ‘Oh Jesus. Mary Joseph.’ I’m like, ‘No. Do it again.’
Natasha: I’m just imagining him saying the monologue, you know, with a pride of lions walking by [laughs].
The Season 3 finale of The White Lotus premieres on Max on April 7, 2025.
