Written and directed byMike White(HBO’sEnlightened), the six-episode limited HBO seriesThe White Lotusis set at an exclusive Hawaiian resort and follows a group of new guests, each with their own set of needs and quirks, as they check in to relax in paradise. When things get more dramatic and the vacationers get more demanding, the hotel manager (Murray Bartlett) finds himself caught in a downward spiral of his own. The cast also includesJennifer Coolidge,Connie Britton,Steve Zahn,Alexandra Daddario,Jake Lacy,Sydney Sweeney,Brittany O’Grady,Fred Hechinger, andNatasha Rothwell.
During a virtual junket to discuss the new series, co-stars Britton and Zahn spoke to Collider about how very specific these scripts were, putting themselves in the hands of show creator White, having so many conversations about swollen testicles, the relationship dynamic between this couple, shocking family secrets, and what they hope comes of this family, after their vacation is over.
Collider: There is a lot going on with this family. Did you know exactly what you would be getting yourself into, with these characters in this show and their story arc? When you signed on to do this, were you told exactly what this arc was going to be?
STEVE ZAHN: The arc was there in the script. The scripts were so amazing and thought out and specific. But I was really surprised by the end product, for sure, and how we incorporated nature and music. I just think it’s brilliant. I couldn’t stop watching it. But I didn’t have a full understanding, as to what that end product would look like.
CONNIE BRITTON: I didn’t know where it was gonna go because I didn’t have all of the scripts, initially. But it was Mike White, and I’m a huge devotee of Mike White’s. We had worked together onBeatriz at Dinnerand I think that he does something so special and that I don’t really see a lot of other people being able to very capably do, which is to find the perfect tonality for social satire with an observant perspective that captures what we’re going through, right here and right now. Of course, culturally, right here and right now, we’re going through a lot, so to be able to create something like this, where we can all be really introspective and recognize ourselves really honestly, even with these heightened characters and this heightened story. I sometimes think that’s the most effective way to do it.
At the same time, did you know how much time you’d actually have to spend talking about swollen testicles?
BRITTON: When I read that scene, the first time, I laughed out loud so hard. I was like, “Oh, my God.” It was hilarious. I actually think that’s a great example of what Mike does so well, which is everybody’s different perspective on it. Steve’s character, Mark, is genuinely in mortal fear for his life, in this very kind of humiliating way. And then, there’s me, who’s a little bit like, “Huh, I don’t really wanna have to deal with that, but I’m going to because I ‘m very good at being a wife.” And then, the kids are just so rude.
ZAHN: They were so funny.
BRITTON: When will you ever see multiple generations’ reactions to something like that, in a pretty comical way?
ZAHN: It’s so brilliant that my journey is trying to define masculinity comparative to my experience with my father, and then my balls are swollen.
RELATED:‘Fear Street’s Fred Hechinger on Embracing Simon’s Favorite Cheap Perfume and Battling Olivia Scott Welch in Movie Trivia
When we meet this couple, Nicole really seems like the alpha of the family, as the most successful one, and Mark seems like the neurotic one, and it really takes Mark getting a bit alpha and jumping in to save the day to finally turn Nicole on again. Do you feel like that’s something she was waiting for him to do?
BRITTON: Yeah. One of the things that I think is really interesting about their relationship is that they don’t fit into the cultural norms at all. She’s the breadwinner. He’s not the breadwinner. He has all of this self-judgment about it. She has self-judgment about it. And then, they also have contempt for each other. They’re in conflict with themselves because all they want is to be this perfect cultural vision and version of family. That’s just an interesting element to them and to their relationship.
ZAHN: It is interesting that the act of him being like a superhero and that natural impulse and instincts that we have as men and women is the thing that turns it, and not a conversation about it. You can’t fight your instincts, as a species. It’s fascinating.
BRITTON: All she wants is to be this type-A, super successful at everything woman, and yet all she really wants is for her dude to sweep her off her feet and take care of her. I actually think that’s a fairly authentic conflict for hyper-successful women in the world.
Steve, your character also gets some very interesting news about his father that’s shocking and surprising for him. Is that something that he can ever come to terms with? How do you deal with something like that, that just turns your whole world upside down?
ZAHN: Ah, poorly. I don’t know, if he could truly come to terms with it. I guess maybe. I think he would convince himself that he’s coming to terms with it, but deep down, it would always bother him, just the fact that it was a secret and was something that he didn’t know. As we get older, you pick the things that you’re fond of with your childhood and you romanticize about it. So, for that to be just completely changed is tough. It’s the perfect storm.
What are your hopes for this family, beyond where we leave them at the end of this season?
ZAHN: I hope they go camping. That would actually be really good.
BRITTON: It would be so nice for them to just figure out how to stop trying to be such privileged success whores. They all need to meditate, or something.
ZAHN: They need to stop having these conversations, although they’re fascinating conversations. Those table scenes were brilliant. They were so fun to do. But hopefully, they can chill out.
BRITTON: Maybe they could look outside themselves. That’d be really great. It would be great if these people could do that.
The White Lotusairs on Sunday nights on HBO.
KEEP READING:Jennifer Coolidge on How Mike White Wrote Her ‘White Lotus’ Role Specifically For Her
