[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for Season 3 of The White Lotus.]

The eight-episode third season of HBO’s The White Lotus, crafted by writer/director Mike White, unfolds at an exclusive resort in Thailand, where guests indulge in leisure and luxury. Among them are childhood friends Jaclyn ( Michelle Monaghan ), Kate ( Leslie Bibb ), and Laurie ( Carrie Coon ), who appear to be celebrating their friendship, yet underlying tensions threaten to surface as their time together progresses.

In a conversation with Collider, Bibb and Coon discussed their real-life text exchanges, their enthusiasm for collaborating, maintaining their characters’ facades, how White truly understands the essence of these women, the collaborative nature of the set, their limited interactions with other cast members, and which co-star they wished they had spent more time with.

‘The White Lotus’ Michelle Monaghan, Leslie Bibb and Carrie Coon Shared Their Childhoods With Each Other Before Shooting Season 3

“We were just on this great text thread.”

Collider: When did the three of you meet? Did you know each other, at all?

LESLIE BIBB: I saw Carrie perform in a play some time ago. She was in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I couldn’t recall who Martha was, which is usually what everyone remembers. I was more interested in “Who’s Honey?”

CARRIE COON: You’re so sweet.

BIBB: When I heard Carrie was involved, I was thrilled. Then, we initiated a text thread with Michelle [Monaghan].

COON: And you had a shoe exchange or something in L.A.

BIBB: We exchanged Valentino clothes in a parking lot at Bristol Farms. I had just flown in. It was just before we were departing, and we were fitting clothes before leaving. She asked, “Can you take these clothes to Michelle? She’ll try them on at her place before she leaves.” I had seen Michelle briefly but hadn’t really met her. We enjoyed a great text thread, sharing childhood photos. It was a lot of fun.

COON: It was nostalgic to connect with our past. I had forgotten we did that.

BIBB: We realized we were both from the Midwest.

COON: Typically, only one of us would be in a show, so having this many women of the same age is a real treat.

BIBB: Indeed, it’s wonderful.

It sounds like you guys are way more meant to be friends than your characters.

COON: Perhaps.

BIBB: I think they might surprise you.

‘The White Lotus’ Leslie Bibb and Carrie Coon on What Their Characters Really Think of Each Other

“The lie they tell themselves is that they really care.”

Do you feel like they went into this with the best of intentions, or do you feel like they went into this waiting for the others to screw up, so that they could feel better?

COON: I think there’s always that anticipation. For Laurie, it seems she has had some memorable vacations that she hopes to replicate because her life isn’t going well. However, she isn’t being honest with her friends about her struggles. There’s a lot of facade maintenance.

BIBB: That’s true for all of them. They’re all maintaining appearances.

COON: Even when they don’t, they’re concealing something.

BIBB: The lie they tell themselves is that they genuinely care. I believe they are concerned. When Kate states, “I genuinely care about this,” it reflects their genuine interest in Jaclyn.

COON: She’s well-known.

BIBB: Her life is easier.

COON: Yet comparison is a human trait. We’re conditioned to do it, and women are often pitted against one another.

BIBB: Typically, only one of us would have a role like this, so getting to work with both of them was exciting, but I also felt, “Bibb, don’t mess this up.” Their performances pushed me to improve. I recall a scene where Carrie was furious after discovering something Jaclyn had done. My performance felt chaotic, but Carrie’s was brilliant. She embodied rage while spinning her plate during breakfast. I was off-camera thinking, “This is incredible.” It was inspiring and exhilarating to act alongside actors I admire.

COON: Mike truly understood Kate. There were many moments when you could hear Mike laughing at the monitor. If you heard him laugh during a take, it indicated he found it funny.

BIBB: He would often disrupt the take with his laughter. The worst scenario was if you heard silence from the monitor.

COON: He completely grasped Kate, and his laughter was infectious.

BIBB: Isn’t it fascinating how he understands every character? He also comprehended Chelsea. We all represent different facets of him.

COON: A good writer understands their characters.

BIBB: They’re all parts of him.

Related

‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 Cast and Character Guide: Who Are the New Elitists on Vacation in Thailand?

What happens in Thailand stays in Thailand.

It’s unusual for one person to write and direct consistently across seasons. He could easily dictate a rigid vision, but he seems to be very collaborative. What was the collaboration like?

BIBB: He allows for creativity.

COON: He’s not overly attached to the script, even though the writing is strong and should be adhered to.

BIBB: When it counts, it counts. But if you improvise, he embraces it. He maintains a relaxed atmosphere.

COON: There’s nothing random about what he seeks. He’s clear about his objectives, but the path to achieving them varies. As an actor, he recognizes that each person’s process is unique. Mike is adept at adapting to each actor’s needs to achieve his vision. It’s incredibly collaborative. He also picks up on individual qualities and amplifies them.

BIBB: Or you might say something, and he’ll incorporate it into the show.

COON: Like any talented writer, he’s always listening, so be cautious about what you say, as it might end up on-screen.

BIBB: I asked him, “How did you create these three women?” He replied, “I was at this resort and saw three women who looked alike, except when one stood up, the others would gossip about her, helping me distinguish them.”

COON: He was inspired by that idea.

BIBB: He resided in Thailand and wrote for seven months. While filming a club scene, he mentioned, “I lived near this club while writing, and its vibrant energy compelled me to write a scene there.” It all fuels his creativity. He’s remarkable.

‘The White Lotus’ Leslie Bibb and Carrie Coon Were So Focused on Their Season 3 Trio That They’re Watching Everyone Else’s Storylines As Fans

“I wish the three of us had something with Parker [Posey].”

This is such a big ensemble, and you guys are all in your little bubbles. There are so many people you don’t get to work with much or at all. Who do you think your characters would have had more fun with, if they just left their friends?

BIBB: I wish we all had something with Parker [Posey]. We had a brief interaction with her.

COON: That was entertaining to watch.

BIBB: I believe that would have been fantastic.

COON: I think everyone is exactly where they should be. I just feel like we would disrupt whatever we would be inserted into. Yet it’s surprising how little we interacted with the others.

BIBB: You read the scripts, and they guard them closely, allowing us to focus on our narratives. I can hardly recall what happened with the others.

COON: I kept my involvement with other storylines minimal so I could enjoy them as a viewer. It’s refreshing that we can do that since we didn’t share scenes with them, and I don’t really remember their arcs. It’s a nice approach.

BIBB: We shouldn’t know what’s happening because we wouldn’t in reality.

Related

‘The White Lotus’ Season 3’s Most Interesting Relationship Doesn’t Have Anything To Do With Romance

“Love her though!”

The White Lotus is a series that examines the interactions of guests and staff at a luxurious tropical resort. Since its debut in 2021, the story unfolds over a week, revealing the hidden complexities and tensions among the resort’s seemingly perfect visitors and employees.

Directors

Mike White

Writers

Mike White

Seasons

3

The White Lotus airs on HBO and is available for streaming on Max. Check out the Season 3 trailer:

Collider Source: https://collider.com/the-white-lotus-season-3-leslie-bibb-carrie-coon/ Stay up to date with new movie news, watch the latest movie trailers & get trusted reviews of upcoming movies & more from the team at Collider.