The White Lotus star teases season 3: "Everyone needs to buckle up"

Natasha Rothwell and Jennifer Coolidge in The White Lotus

(Image credit: HBO)

The White Lotus season 3 star Natasha Rothwell has teased the next installment of the hit HBO comedy-drama – and it sounds like we're in for a wild ride.

"I gasped out loud a minimum of five times, and this was just me reading [the scripts]," Rothwell recently told Vanity Fair. "The scripts are a testament to Mike [White, showrunner]’s skill and ability to tell the most smart and entertaining stories. I mean, everything that he does is like a lesson to me as an actor and a performer. And as a writer myself, he takes folks on a journey. Everyone needs to buckle up, because it’s going to get real!"

Rothwell played spa manager Belinda in the first season of The White Lotus, set in the Maui, Hawaii branch of the hotel. She struck up a disjointed relationship with Jennifer Coolidge's Tanya but didn't return for season 2, which took place in Sicily. So far, though, Rothwell is the only cast member announced for season 3.

The next installment will see guests check in to the White Lotus in Thailand and will provide a "satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality", but plot details are otherwise a little thin on the ground at the moment.

Rothwell added: "Mike is so collaborative. When we did the first season, we sat down and talked a lot about Belinda and he was so receptive to feedback, and so we plan to approach it the same way. But all credit to him, what I love working with him is that he understands that Belinda’s POV is something that he doesn’t possess – so he’s really interested in my feedback, and really wants to make it authentic. And so I’m just so lucky to work with a director like him who understands the value of having me in the role and what I can bring."

The White Lotus season 3 is set to hit the small screen in 2025. In the meantime, check out our picks of the best TV shows coming our way, next year and beyond.