A stay at The White Lotus is one of the most coveted gigs in town, with everyone from Jennifer Aniston to James Marsden to Elizabeth Banks begging series creator Mike White to add them to the star-studded cast of the upcoming third season. Well, we finally got an update into exactly which actors will be joining the much-anticipated next installment of the HBO anthology series and, though sadly Jen and James aren't currently on the cast list, there are some exciting guests checking in, including a Harry Potter alum.
We already know that Season 1 White Lotus cast member Natasha Rothwell will be returning as spa manager Belinda Lindsey, the only O.G. The White Lotus character set to appear in the third season so far (sorry, Jennifer Coolidge stans). But, per an HBO press release on January 5, we've got a new crop of vacationers that will include indie queen Parker Posey, Iron Man actress Leslie Bibb, Echoes star Michelle Monaghan, Bangkok Dangerous actor Dom Hetrakul, newcomer Tayme Thapthimthong and Lucius Malfoy himself, Jason Isaacs, of Harry Potter fame.
The news comprises only six of the reported 13 roles being cast for the new season. As relayed by Deadline, Season 3 is aiming for nine series regulars, ranging in ages between 18 and 80, including a “patriarch, a corporate executive, an actress, a couple of mothers, a misfit, and a yogi.”
It's not clear what parts the already announced performers would play (though we'd put serious money to see Parker Posey as a well-to-do Goop-loving yogi). Overall, though, the casting additions are a great mix of beloved familiar faces (I'm especially excited to see Popular icon Leslie Bibb in the mix!) as well as intriguing newcomers, and I can't wait to find out which role each actor will be taking on.
Other casting rumors have been swirling around the series, including that a current member of the HBO family will be making a move to the resort-set show. Scooper Jeff Sneider alleged on Twitter that The Gilded Age cast's leading lady Carrie Coon is "reportedly in talks for a key role" in The White Lotus Season 3. It would admittedly be an easy transition for the actress, as the aforementioned period drama is already full of rich people behaving badly. However, this casting gossip has not officially been confirmed by HBO nor Coon.
While the first season of the Emmy-dominated drama series was set in Hawaii, with its equally acclaimed follow-up taking place in Sicily, the third edition will move continents yet again and head for Asia —Thailand, to be exact. Production will begin "in and around Koh Samui, Phuket, and Bangkok in February," and it will follow "a new group of guests at another White Lotus property," reads the release.
Janet Graham Borba, EVP of Production of HBO & Max, expressed her excitment for the upcoming season and it's location in a statement, saying:
We are pleased to partner with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to execute Mike’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.
Though we don't yet have an exact date for when we'll be able to see Parker Posey, Jason Isaacs and the lot on The White Lotus, we do know that the HBO hit won't be on the 2024 TV schedule, as sizzle reel confirmed the third season to drop sometime in 2025. In the meantime, you can revisit previous editions of the anthology series with a Max subscription.
