By Riley Dauber
Lifestyle Editor
Known for its talented ensemble cast and cryptic tropical music, HBO’s anthology series “The White Lotus” recently started the casting process for the show’s third season, which will be set at a spa in Thailand.
Even though the show’s second season aired in 2022, production for the third season ceased due to the Writer’s Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strike. Fortunately, both groups made successful agreements with the production companies on Sept. 27 and Nov. 8, respectively.
Now, according to Deadline, writer and creator Mike White is looking for a new set of characters so the season can start filming in February.
According to Deadline, “Thirteen roles are currently casting, nine of them series regulars…with a patriarch, a corporate executive, an actress, a couple of mothers, a misfit, and a yogi among the bunch.”
The only confirmed casting decision for season three is Natasha Rothwell, who played masseuse Belinda in season one. Based on the spa setting for the upcoming season, one can imply that she will take on a similar role.
Here is a list of actors who could potentially join Rothwell in the upcoming season of “The White Lotus.”
Michelle Yeoh
Yeoh has an illustrious career thanks to her starring roles in action films like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Tomorrow Never Dies.”
Most recently, she played the judgmental matriarch Eleanor Young in the romantic comedy “Crazy Rich Asians” and Evelyn Wang in the Academy-Award winning science fiction film “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
For the latter film, Yeoh became the first woman of Asian descent to win the Oscar for Best Actress, according to CNN.
While Yeoh’s recent maternal roles make her the perfect choice for “a group of mothers,” she would also be a great hotel manager, similar to Emmy-winner Murray Bartlett from season one and Sabrina Impacciatore from season two.
If her performance in “Crazy Rich Asians” tells us anything, it is that Yeoh can be kind one moment and seething and confident in the next. She would also offer a more grounded performance in the sometimes dark, satirical show.
Jack Quaid
Despite his nepotism baby status as Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid’s son, Quaid has recently established himself as a talented comedic actor.
He currently stars as Hughie Campbell on the Amazon original show “The Boys.” The show’s dark tone leans more toward the violent end of the spectrum, but Quaid’s experience on the show would make him a perfect fit for “The White Lotus.”
Along with “The Boys,” Quaid also starred in the romantic comedy “Plus One” alongside Maya Erskine, the 2022 horror comedy “Scream,” and the biopic “Oppenheimer.” He has delved into a variety of different genres, showing off his range and comedic timing in each role.
Maya Erskine
Erskine and Quaid could possibly reunite in the next season, combining their strong romantic chemistry that made “Plus One” such a success.
Erskine is known for creating and starring in the Hulu original series “PEN15,” which sees her pretending to be her 13-year-old self. This creative comedic choice would make her a great fit for the anthology series, where she could take even more risks in her performance.
Cristin Milioti
Milioti has plenty of experience with dark comedies thanks to her roles in HBO Max’s “Made for Love” and Peacock’s “The Resort.”
In the former, she plays a young woman married to a billionaire. She manages to escape, but soon learns that he planted a tracking device in her without her permission.
Milioti’s performance is a stand-out in this overlooked series, guaranteeing her success if she was cast in “The White Lotus.”
Ayo Edebiri
While the aforementioned actors range in celebrity status, Edebiri is slowly becoming a household name with her recent projects.
According to The New Yorker, she started writing for popular comedy shows like “Dickinson” and “What We Do In The Shadows” before turning to acting. She stars as sous chef Sydney in FX’s “The Bear” and recently played Josie in the teen comedy “Bottoms.”
Edebiri brings a specific charm to each of her roles, often improvising lines. According to Rolling Stone, many of her ad-libbed monologues for “Bottoms” made it into the film.
Edebiri would be a welcome addition to the show thanks to her comedic timing and experience with other dark comedies.
Ashley Park
Park is a Tony-nominated actress known for her role as Gretchen Weiners in the “Mean Girls” musical, but she has recently transitioned to television and film roles.
Viewers may recognize her from her role as Mindy in the Netflix original series “Emily in Paris,” but Park showed off her acting chops in the recent comedy “Joy Ride.”
In the film, Park is a reserved and type-A lawyer who strives to find her birth mother on a trip to China with her childhood friend. She starts to slowly unwind over the course of the trip, resulting in an iconic sex scene that led to a ton of laughs.
Park would be the perfect fit for the “yogi” role, which would allow her to make fun of the wellness influencer trope.
Fans of the commercially and critically successful anthology series patiently wait for casting announcements, but each of these actors would arguably be great choices.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Photo Caption: Ashley Park is known for her roles in popular television shows like Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” and “Beef,” as well as Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building.”