The White Lotus Season 3 Will Welcome Back a Fan Favorite From Season One
Belinda is back in business.
Natasha Rothwell, who played White Lotus spa manager Belinda Lindsey in season one of HBO's The White Lotus, is returning for season three, the network confirmed with E! News.
While specific details of Belinda's comeback remain under wraps, we do know that the highly-anticipated third season will travel to yet another White Lotus resort—this time in Thailand.
If you'll recall, Belinda's season one story ended on a somber note, after the money promised to her by Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge) to open her own business went unfulfilled.
So, maybe Belinda is working at the resort in Thailand? Maybe she's a hotel guest this time around? Maybe she's taken over the entire operation?!
Whatever the case, she won't be able to exact any revenge on Tanya as she—spoiler alert!—died in the season two finale. But perhaps she left Belinda some money in her will? Only time will tell!
At the moment, no other season three casting announcements have been made. However, when fellow season one star Connie Britton was asked by E! News in January about the rumors she would also be returning, she bit her tongue and said, "My lips are sealed!"
Natasha could be joined by a number of A-list co-stars if they get their way, including White Lotus fanatic Jennifer Aniston. In March, Jennifer told E! News she's "obsessed" with the show and would love to join the cast, even making a pitch to series creator Mike White. Jennifer and Mike worked together on 2002 movie The Good Girl, so perhaps the idea isn't so far-fetched.
In addition, Abbott Elementary's Sheryl Lee Ralph has expressed interest in a potential stay when chatting with E! News. In fact, the Emmy winner even shared a message to Mike, saying, "Oh, honey, please. Call me, don't be afraid to just call me."
The first two seasons of The White Lotus are available to stream on HBO Max.
For everything else we know about season three of The White Lotus, keep scrolling.
On March 27, Variety reported that season three will take place in Thailand.
After wrapping production on The White Lotus' second season in Sicily, creator Mike White hinted that he already had a destination for season three in mind.
"The first season highlighted money and the second season is sex," he said. "I think the third season, it would be maybe a satirical, funny look at death, Eastern religion and spirituality. It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round."
The end of The White Lotus' second season still left some untied threads, particularly when it comes to the nefarious dealings of Tanya's (Jennifer Coolidge) husband Greg (Jon Gries).
However, Mike White suggested those questions might get answered sooner rather than later.
"I think as far as like, what happens to Greg and the conspiracy of Tanya's death, it's possible that I think Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) is scared enough to just leave it alone," White said to HBO after the season two finale, "but the fact that all of those guys die on the boat, it feels like there's gotta be somebody who's gonna track it back down to Greg. But maybe you'll have to wait to find out what happens."
The second season introduced viewers to sex-addicted producer Dominic Di Grasso, played by Michael Imperioli, traveling with his son Albie (Adam DiMarco) and father Bert (F. Murray Abraham).
While it's unclear if Michael has actually had conversations about reprising his role in season three—he'd certainly jump at the chance.
"Who knows, maybe there'll be another White Lotus season where Dominic comes with his wife and they patch it all up!" Michael suggested to Esquire in December. "I don't want to think about it too much. Because the idea of that makes me so happy. I don't want to be disappointed. I would want nothing more than that."
Hey, if that means we'd get to meet Laura Dern, who voiced Dominic's wife in season two, we're all for it!
In July 2022, Connie Britton—who played businesswoman Nicole Mossbacher in season one—revealed that she and Mike White had already discussed her potential return.
"He wanted me to be in the second season, and there was an idea that I loved for the character," Connie told Deadline in July 2022. "Our intention is to do it in the third season. A piece of casting didn't work in the second season and we're hoping to that in the third season."
When asked about the idea by E! News in January, Connie simply said, "Listen, my lips are sealed."
After Tanya—spoiler alert!—killed a bunch of people and then fell to her death in the season two finale, it stands to reason that Jennifer Coolidge probably won't be returning to The White Lotus for the third season in a row—even in ghost form.
"He sort of sticks to his guns," Jennifer said of Mike White in an interview with E! News Jan. 17. "He's an amazing friend, but I think he made his decision. He wanted a big, dramatic, Italian, you know, operatic ending for White Lotus 2, and he wanted to sacrifice Tanya."
May she rest in peace.
Simply put: It's still going to be a while.
Season three hasn't even started production yet, so if you're craving some devious resort behavior, you'll have to settle for a re-watch of the first two seasons of The White Lotus, which are available to stream on HBO Max.
