The White Lotus Season 3: Everything we know so far
Are you ready for another thrilling rollercoaster ride of dramas, plot twists, and possibly some blood? Here’s everything you need to know before diving into the new season of The White Lotus.
Where to watch?
Teased in December 2024 that The White Lotus Season 3 would premiere in February 2025, Max soon confirmed that the drama series would air its eight-episode weekly season on February 17th at 9 PM on Max and HBO (Astro Channel 411 / Unifi TV Channel 401).
Who is the cast?
The season 3 cast of The White Lotus is nothing short of a star-studded affair, featuring a mix of fresh faces and a familiar one making a highly anticipated return.
Natasha Rothwell reprises her role as Belinda Lindsey, the compassionate spa manager who stole hearts in season 1—only to be left heartbroken when her dream of opening her own wellness retreat with Tanya McQuoid (the iconic Jennifer Coolidge) crumbled. This time, Rothwell promises she’s bringing “main character energy,” as she revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Joining her in the new instalment is a powerhouse lineup, including The Leftovers, alums Carrie Coon and Scott Glenn, alongside Walton Goggins, Leslie Bibb, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, and Blackpink’s Lisa Manobal in her White Lotus debut. Also on board: Dom Hetrakul, Jason Isaacs, Tayme Thapthimthong, Sarah Catherine Hook, Sam Nivola, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Aimee Lou Wood, Nicholas Duvernay, Francesca Corney, Arnas Fedaravičius, Christian Friedel, Morgana O’Reilly, Lek Patravadi, and Shalini Peiris.
Who are they playing?
The latest edition of The White Lotus is stacking its guest list with high drama and even higher stakes.
Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan, and Leslie Bibb step into the roles of Laurie, Jaclyn, and Kate—three longtime friends reuniting for a much-needed girls' trip after years apart. Meanwhile, Jason Isaacs plays Timothy Ratliff, a wealthy businessman vacationing with his wife, Victoria (Parker Posey), and their three children: Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), the ambitious eldest son working at his father’s company; Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), a college senior majoring in religious studies; and Lochlan (Sam Nivola), a high school senior. Adding a wildcard to the mix is Walton Goggins as Rick Hatchett, a rugged traveller with a chip on his shoulder, accompanied by his free-spirited girlfriend, Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood).
On the staff side, Blackpink’s Lalisa Manobal plays Mook, a wellness mentor for the resort’s elite guests, while Tayme Thapthimthong takes on the role of Gaitok, a no-nonsense security guard. And overseeing it all? Thai screen legend Lek Patravadi as Sritala, one of the resort’s owners and the mastermind behind its coveted wellness program.
Where are the shooting locations?
The White Lotus is taking its signature mix of luxury and dysfunction to Thailand for season 3, with filming set against some of the country’s most breathtaking locations. The latest instalment was shot in and around Koh Samui, Phuket, and Bangkok, with the main resort scenes unfolding at the ultra-exclusive Four Seasons Koh Samui—a 43-acre paradise boasting 60 teakwood villas, each with a private pool and sweeping ocean views. A longtime retreat for the world’s elite, it’s the perfect backdrop for the show’s signature brand of indulgence and intrigue.
Beyond the Four Seasons, the production team scouted some of Thailand’s most coveted destinations. The trailer teases glimpses of Ta Khai at Rosewood Phuket, the serene Anantara Mai Khao Phuket wellness sanctuary and spa, and Anantara Bophut Koh Samui, where key scenes—including the hotel lobby, security station, driveway, employee parking lot, and jewellery store—were filmed. Bangkok’s Acts Studio also played host to several set pieces.
For fans looking to trace the show’s footsteps, other featured locations include Phuket Yacht Haven Marina, Café Del Mar in Phuket, the iconic Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Choeng Mon Beach in Koh Samui, Haad Rin Beach in Koh Phangan, Am Samui Resort in Taling Ngam, and the high-energy Bangla Boxing Stadium in Phuket.
What to expect from Season 3?
While season one dissected wealth and season two explored sex, The White Lotus creator Mike White promises that season three will take a “satirical and funny look at death, Eastern religion, and spirituality”—a rich thematic playground for another round of sun-soaked chaos.
After season two’s explosive finale, White hinted at revisiting unresolved threads, particularly regarding Tanya’s husband, Greg (Jon Gries), and his murky role in her tragic fate. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he reflected on the show’s shift from a limited series to an ongoing drama, teasing the possibility of weaving familiar faces into future storylines. “It would be easy to go full anthology,” White said. “But I think it’s more fun to have little threads running through the show. If it continues for a few more seasons, an all-star season could be really fun.” And while the series has built a reputation for opening with a dead body, White isn’t tied to that formula: “I don’t feel constrained by expectation. Reinventing the show each year is part of the fun.”
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, White amped up the anticipation, calling season three “longer, bigger, crazier” and admitting he’s personally thrilled about where it's headed. Weeks before the premiere, he shared with Time that the inspiration for this season stems from years of travel, vacation observations, and a particularly difficult personal year. The storyline will explore his fascination with Eastern spirituality and wellness culture—alongside a sceptical take on how Westerners co-opt these practices for self-care. “They’re all in some kind of hurt,” White said of the new guests. “Like, they’re all dead, but they don’t know it.”
And if you thought The White Lotus had already gone dark, White warns that this Thailand-set season will be “much, much darker” than the last two—grander, more epic, and in many ways, what he’s been building toward all along. “I do feel like the other seasons were a rehearsal for this one,” he said. Buckle up.
Any reviews so far?
The new season of The White Lotus is already making waves, earning a stellar 93% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes and drawing strong praise from critics.
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter’s chief TV critic, notes that while the season takes its time to set the stage, things kick into high gear midway through. “Especially in the first three episodes, this season of The White Lotus is a very slow burn in terms of plot,” he writes. “That’s partially by character-driven design, partially because of White’s structural preferences—where every hovering tragedy has to be carefully teased long before it happens—and mostly because it’s hard not to feel like the Ratliffs, all up in each other’s personal business to an uncomfortable degree, aren’t a Tobacco Row version of the Mosbachers from the first season. Or that Rick, in his shady desperation, doesn’t look a lot like Jon Gries’ Greg.”
Slow burn or not, with its signature mix of tension, satire, and opulent dysfunction, The White Lotus season 3 is shaping up to be another must-watch.
