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Mike White has a knack for compiling an ensemble of established names and emerging actors in a way that very few productions can claim to get right, and The White Lotus season 3 cast is no exception.

From familiar faces and industry mainstays, to the new guard making their primetime debut, there’s no denying that the actors who bring the show’s characters to life are essential to keeping our White Lotus obsession alive.

Now that The White Lotus season 3 has officially begun (you can catch up here), it’s time to dive into the new and noteworthy names that make up the colourful cast list.

Without giving away any spoilers, Natasha Rothwell’s character in White Lotus season 3 is one of two familiar faces making a return to the cast list.

We know her as Belinda, the patient, yet frustrated Maui spa manager from season two, whose character was buoyed by the prospect of a brighter future through an evolving, yet ill-fated relationship with Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge). This season, Belinda returns in a semi-work capacity on a training exchange program with the resort.

Anyone already familiar with Rothwell will know her from previous roles in Insecure, the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and the 2023 reprise of Wonka.

Nicholas Duvernay plays Belinda’s son, Zion, who’s also one of the first characters we’re introduced to in episode one.

We aren’t given much information about his character arc to go on initially aside from the fact that he’s travelled to the resort to stay with his mum after a gruelling exam period in college.

While the America actor is still relatively new to the industry, he has quite a few projects under his professional belt already. Most recently, he featured as a recurring character on Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living, in Bel-Air as Drew, and Perfect Addiction as Brent. Most would recognise him from his performance as Armando in the military romance Purple Hearts.

Playing one part of a three-woman travelling ensemble in The White Lotus season 3, Carrie Coon’s character, Laurie, is yet to be explored, but all signs are pointing to a path of destruction.

Aside from dominating our 2025 prestige television viewing list with her starring role in The Gilded Age, Coon’s IMDb is filled with critically acclaimed performances in films such as His Three Daughters, Gone Girl, The Nest, Ghostbusters and Fargo – just to name a few.

The American actress is one of the most revered in her industry, but her most glowing review has to be from the mouth of award-winning director David Fincher (who directed her in Gone Girl).

“Carrie exists in her own category,” he relayed to Town & Country in a recently published profile of the actress.

“There are a lot of actors about whom people say, ‘Oh, I know her, she’s from…’ but there are very few actors people remember fondly because of the thing that they provided. It’s not that you remember Carrie Coon, but that you remember Carrie Coon was fucking great.”

And if that doesn’t sum up our high expectations for her character this season, we don’t know what will.

Seeing Leslie Bibb’s name among the esteemed White Lotus season 3 cast list drew a resounding wave of support from the marie claire team as soon as it was announced.

Known for her vast decades-long portfolio that spans almost every genre from comedy to body horror, including appearances in blockbuster hits like ER and Iron Man. Most recently, viewers would recognise Bibb from her role as jury member, Denice Aldworth, in Juror No. 2 starring Nicholas Hoult.

What we can expect from her White Lotus character is still up in the air, but first impressions have us intrigued already.

We’re first introduced to Michelle Monaghan’s character – the television tv-host and girls trip organiser – Jaclyn, as the somewhat leader of the pack of women holidaying together in Thailand.

What becomes clear from the outset is that the group’s dynamic is a nuanced one, and theories are already swirling around how Jaclyn’s apparent wealth and celebrity status will influence the trip’s outcome for everyone involved.

Aside from her starring role in this season of The White Lotus, Monaghan is fresh off the sleeper Apple TV hit Bad Monkey, where she starred as the chaotically charming Bonnie – ex-girlfriend of the show’s star Andrew Yancy – played by Vince Vaughn.

Previous roles in Gone Baby Gone, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and True Detective are up there with some of the most revered on the actress’ prolific roster.

Potter fans would have instantly recognised English actor Jason Isaacs, who plays businessman Timothy Ratliff, from his role as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise, but that’s nowhere near the most recognisable role in his exhaustive portfolio.

From playing Captain Hook in the 2003 classic Peter Pan film (the best adaptation in our opinion), to starring in blockbusters like The Patriot and Black Hawk Down, Isaacs is known for his ability to capture a complex character.

What that could mean for his upcoming episodes in The White Lotus is yet to be revealed, but if the chaotic trailer is anything to go by, his descent from successful businessman to bankrupt is a storyline to watch.

Cast in The White Lotus season 3 as the seemingly unstable, but loveable matriarch of the Ratliff family, Victoria, Parker Posey’s portrayal of a mother on the verge of a mental breakdown is an instant hit.

So where have you seen her instantly recognisable face before? Referred to fondly in the industry as “Queen of the Indies” Posey’s impressive resume counts starring roles in classics such as Best In Show, Dazed and Confused, and Party Girl, but her range doesn’t end there.

Iconic roles in Josie & The Pussycats, Superman Returns and Scream 3 earned her blockbuster success and a cemented her as one of the most recognisable names in Hollywood.

Most people will recognise Patrick Schwarzenegger by his last name first, and as Nepo Baby royalty, that’s to be expected. But for those who need a refresher on where else they might’ve seen the actor before, here’s a quick run down.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Patrick began acting after graduating from college with a degree in Business and a minor in cinematic arts. After taking on smaller roles in Gen V and Amazon series, The Terminal List, Schwarzenegger got his big break as Todd Peterson in critically acclaimed show The Staircase.

Now, as he tackles the complicated, thoroughly unlikeable Saxson in The White Lotus season 3, we’ll be watching on to see where he’s able to take such a difficult character.

You might recognise Sarah Catherine Hook from her starring role in the recent reboot of Cruel Intentions, where she plays the conniving Caroline Merteuil. So when she first popped up on our screens in The White Lotus season 3 cast as the reserved Piper Ratliff, it came as a bit of a shock.

But one episode in and we’re already foreseeing a darker plotline ahead for Piper’s character, which might make her experience in horror films such as The Conjuring 3 and First Kill, more relevant for this role than first thought.

Another member of the Nepo Baby crew, Sam Nivola (son of American actor Alessandro Nivola and British actress Emily Mortimer) is best known for his recent performances in The Perfect Couple alongside Nicole Kidman, and opposite Bradley Cooper as Alexander Bernstein in Maestro.

Playing Lochlan, the youngest member of the dysfunctional Ratliff family in The White Lotus season 3, Nivola’s performance already has us questioning his character’s ulterior motives, so we can’t wait to see what happens next.

Walton Goggins is one of those instantly recognisable faces that you can’t but be drawn to every time he’s on the screen.

Masterfully cast as Rick Hatchett who’s described as “a rugged man with a chip on his shoulder”, Goggins is pro at portraying complicated characters.

Case in point, his recent starring role in the video game-turned-series Fallout, as well as notable mentions for performances in Tarantino blockbusters such as Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

Fans of the neo-western genre will also recognise Goggins as the actor who played Boyd Crowder in long-running series Justified.

British actress Aimee Lou Wood first splashed onto our screens – and collective consciousness – as the loveable Aimee Gibbs in Netflix’s hit series Sex Education.

Since then, she’s also starred in the 2024 series Daddy Issues and dark comedy Seize Them alongside Nicola Coughlan.

She stars as Chloe, Rick’s free-spirited girlfriend, who we’re predicting might be unknowingly caught up in some drama to come courtesy of her shady partner.

Fans of Blackpink will instantly recognise Lalisa Manobal – or Lisa as she is more commonly known – as the K-Pop mega star from one of the world’s most popular music groups.

Making her acting debut in The White Lotus as the resort’s health advisor Mook, her character is still yet to be fully explored, but if her standout stage presence is anything to go by, viewers are in for a performance to remember.

British actor Tayme Thapthimthong, who plays security guard, Gaitock, in the latest season of The White Lotus, is best known for his roles in the Netflix series Thai Cave Rescue, as well as minor parts in films Skin Trade and Farang, but his acting career is far from the most interesting points on his resume.

Failing to break through into the regular acting scene, and after a highly commended stint as an officer in the Thai Army, Tayme was most recently employed as the personal bodyguard of Thai rapper, Way, of hip-hop group Thaitanium.

He was working in the role when the opportunity to audition for The White Lotus came up, and the rest is well, history.

Cast as the glamourous celebrity-like resort owner, Sritala, in The White Lotus season 3, Thai actress Lek Patravadi, is fondly referred to as “The Judi Dench of Thailand”, so her vast and expansive career that crosses acting, playwriting, directing, teaching and producing.

Before New Zealand actress Morgana O’Reilly was cast in The White Lotus season 3, she’d reportedly thought about quitting acting entirely after years of rejection left her unsure about her future in the industry. But after a game changing opportunity came by way of her successful audition for hotel employee, Pam, a new pathway opened up for the Emmy award-winning actress.

Neighbours fans will recognise her as Naomi Canning, but she’s also starred in the horror-comedy film Housebound and most recently in New Zealand series Friends Like Her.

Arnas Fedaravičius is a Lithuanian actor best known for his role as Sihtric in long-running historical series The Last Kingdom.

While we’ve only seen a glimpse of his character, wellness expert and health coach Valentin, his strategic placing among the all-female group has everyone curious about how his character will impact the group’s shaky dynamic.

German actor Christian Friedel, who plays general manager of the White Lotus in season 3, is best known for his recent performance in the award-winning film The Zone of Interest.

Thai actor Dom Hetrakul, known for films Dhevaprom and Dtai Laah, plays Pornchai, a member of the resort’s wellness team who will be working alongside returning character Belinda as she completes her training.

We only get a glimpse of his character in the first episode, but his closeness to Belinda, and his mysterious past might be pointing to a bigger storyline to come for Pornchai.

Cast as Amrita, a member of the wellness team at the White Lotus resort, the Sri Lanka-born, London-based actress Shalini Peiris counts starring roles in Netflix’s 3 Body Problem and Lockwood as some of her most recognisable to date.

Without giving anything away to those who are yet to catch up on the first episode of the season, it appears that her role in The White Lotus will be anything but minor, making her breakthrough role one to watch.

Charlotte Le Bon is a French Canadian actress, model and television presented known for her roles in The Walk, The Hundred-Foot Journey and Yves Saint Laurent.

The actress plays Chloe in The White Lotus season 3 and while not much is known about her character, we do know that she’s somehow involved with a shady character who’s made an unexpected return from season two, and seems to have hit it off with Aimee Lou Wood’s character, Chelsea.

We’ll be keeping our eyes on her, and her dodgy partner, for sure.

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