The White Lotus, HBO’s darkly funny drama set in a luxury Hawaiian resort, had us gripped last summer with its brilliant satire of the places where privilege meets poverty — in this case, spas.
Murray Bartlett was pitch perfect as the five-years-sober hotel manager, slowly sliding into self-destruction after an altercation with a particularly demanding and entitled guest (Jake Lacy).
Connie Britton played a high-powered digital CFO, too busy to notice the disturbing behaviour of her husband and kids. Talking of kids, Olivia (Sydney Sweeney) and Paula (Brittany O’Grady) were the sardonic teenagers with all the best poolside looks - and lines.
Meanwhile, the star of the show was Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya, a drunk and disturbed but very wealthy woman who forged an intense friendship with the spa manager (Natasha Rothwell).
While season one didn’t end with an obvious opening for a sequel (Nine Perfect Strangers, we’re looking at you), that hasn’t stopped the brains behind it producing another instalment, with filming reportedly wrapping last month.
HBO’s Executive Vice President Francesca Orsi told Variety magazine, ‘Mike [White, creator, screenwriter AND director] has once again delivered a quintessential HBO show, and it’s the talk of the town. We were thrilled to hear where he wanted to go next, after closing this epic chapter in Hawaii, and can’t wait to keep following him wherever he takes us.’
Here’s what we know so far.
Is there are White Lotus series two trailer?
Rejoice! The White Lotus series two trailer was finally released on 7 October and offers some serious clues about what's coming next on the show. 'Whenever I stay at a White Lotus, I always have a memorable time. Always,' returning star Jennifer Coolidge says before we see Adam DiMarco tell Michael Imperioli and F. Murray Abraham: 'We’re on a family vacation right now and it’s just the three of us because all the women in our family hate you.' Cue more domestic drama.
Where is The White Lotus series two filmed?
Moving on from the Hawaiian island of Maui, where season one took place, season two was filmed in Taormina, a hilltop town on the east coast of Sicily. According to sources at Variety, the fictional White Lotus Hotel was filmed at Sicily’s Four Seasons San Domenico Palace, which is the setting of another White Lotus resort with a whole new staff.
What Is White Lotus Series Two About?
While the drama kicks off on a new island with a whole new cast of character (more on that in a minute), we can expect the same twisty-turny narrative and spoiled tourists, with the show’s producer David Bernad telling The Hollywood Reporter, ‘Season two is very specific to Sicily and the issues that are going on — the cultural, thematic ideas of Sicily are obviously much different than Hawaii. When you watch season two, there’s going to be no feeling of, 'Oh, this is a retread.' It feels like its own moral tale, and has its own vibe.’
White Lotus Series Two Cast
With a new hotel and new murder mystery to unravel, it follows that series two features a shiny new cast too – with only Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya McQuoid returning (we wouldn’t want a repeat trip to a hotel chain where a literal murder took place during our holiday, but clearly Tanya’s got the money to burn).
Series two introduces three Italian actors - Beatrice Grannò and Simona Tabasco and Sabrina Impacciatore - to the cast, with Sabrina playing hotel manager Valentina and Beatrice and Simona taking on the roles of Mia and Lucia, two local girls who hang around at the hotel. Also confirmed are Wil Sharpe and Aubrey Plaza as married couple Harper and Ethan Spiller on holiday with their friends Cameron and Daphne Babcock (Theo James and Meghann Fahy).
Speaking to US Cosmopolitan, Aubrey said, ‘Most of my story is a separate story. I play a woman who’s married and we’re on vacation with another couple. Our story exists with our little foursome, but there are moments when some of the characters overlap, like in the first season.’
Also, it’s time to talk about Bruno, because Emily in Paris’s Bruno Gouery has revealed he has joined the cast - in what capacity we are yet to learn.
Where can I watch The White Lotus series two?
The second season, still directed by original writer/director Mike White, will be available exclusively on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW from 31 October.
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