“The White Lotus” is fully booked for the season — and chock-full of surprising new guests.
HBO announced additions Tuesday for the third installment of the award-winning anthology series, including “The Righteous Gemstones” actor Walton Goggins, Sarah Catherine Hook, Sam Nivola, Patrick Schwarzenegger and “Sex Education” breakout star Aimee Lou Wood, according to Variety.
The news arrives two weeks after HBO announced “Harry Potter” alum Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Leslie Bibb and Carrie Coon were cast, and nearly one year after Natasha Rothwell was confirmed to return as beloved spa manager Belinda Lindsey.
The popular comedy-drama, which has previously used Four Seasons resorts in Hawaii and Italy as stand-ins for the fictional “White Lotus” luxury hotel chain, will notably continue this tradition of using exotic locations — and reportedly starts filming in February in Thailand.
HBO’s executive vice president of production confirmed that rumor earlier this month.
“We are pleased to partner with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to execute Mike White’s creative vision and showcase all that the beautiful country of Thailand has to offer as the next group of guests check in to the White Lotus,” said Janet Graham Borba.
The first seasons were respectively shot in Maui and made Sicily’s Taormina a newfound tourist destination. Showrunner Mike White, who previously said the third is a “funny look at death in Eastern religion,” will reportedly next head to Bangkok, Koh Samui and Phuket.
“It’s going to be a supersized ‘White Lotus,’” he previously told Entertainment Weekly. “It’s going to be longer, bigger, crazier. I don’t know what people will think, but I am super excited, so at least for my own barometer, that’s a good thing.”
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, recently said in a statement that “Thailand has long been considered one of the world’s favorite filming locations” — and suggested “The White Lotus” will only further regional tourism.
“‘The White Lotus’ project will certainly strengthen the kingdom’s status as a preferred filming destination and a beacon of experience-based tourism, inspiring even more visitors to Amazing Thailand,” she said in the press release earlier this month.
Fans have eagerly anticipated this third installment since the show was renewed in late 2022. While fan-favorite Jennifer Coolidge is unlikely to return, her meteoric rise from starring in the show bodes well for young talents like Schwarzenegger and Wood.
Coon, at least, is certainly excited — as evident by a recent social media post.
The first two seasons of “The White Lotus” are available on HBO Max.