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Meet Tayme Thapthimthong, the Breakout Star Who Romances Lisa in The White Lotus Season 3

BBG News

Tayme Thapthimthong is soaking it all up. He’s unwinding with fellow cast members from “The White Lotus” high above Phuket’s Bangla Muay Thai Stadium. At 35 years old, this former bouncer, soldier, and talent show contestant finds himself in an incredible situation he hardly dares to believe.

Directly below him, a couple of fighters are exchanging aerial kicks within the ring while series creator Mike White is conversing about camera positions with his team of producers. To his left, two-time Emmy nominee Carrie Coon is attempting to cool off due to the intense heat. On his right, Lalisa “Lisa” Manobal from K-pop sensation Blackpink is engaged in a conversation with an assistant.

Only a few weeks ago, Tayme was employed as a bodyguard for a popular Thai rapper. Now, he’s landed a leading role in one of television’s most prominent shows, and remarkably, he’s cast as Lisa’s romantic interest. The third season of the critically acclaimed black comedy Lotus, produced by HBO, is set in Thailand, and Tayme portrays Gaitok, a security guard at an upscale resort. Given his newfound status, it’s understandable that Tayme might experience feelings of self-doubt. However, he’s opting to enjoy every moment instead.

He expressed amazement to TIME in April, during one of only two private tours to the set of The White Lotus. Reflecting on where he was last year versus now, he feels incredibly grateful and values every aspect of his life so much more.

In my case, I’m a gentle soul harboring feelings for my stunning coworker, Mook – portrayed by Lisa – and yearning to show her that I’m worth more than just being a temporary security guard for affluent tourists. Yet, when we interact face-to-face, there’s an echo of the same tender, quiet nature that my character Gaitok exhibits on the Lotus series. However, unlike my on-screen persona, the genuine me doesn’t feel compelled to demonstrate courage for anyone; I am confident in who I am.

I hail from London, a city that has been my home since birth, though my roots trace back to bustling Bangkok, where my thriving restaurant-owning parents resided. Our family found success in the upscale Kensington district, yet my journey as a third culture child wasn’t always straightforward. “I encountered instances of bullying,” I recall. “Being the sole Asian student at school meant I often drew attention.

As it turns out, enduring hardship served as a shaping influence for him. “I often find myself reflecting on the instance where I chose to confront my bullies,” he shares. “That moment seemed to alter everything. It gave me the sense that occasionally, you simply need to defend yourself.

For Tayme, life took on the form of constant struggle at the age of 13 when he joined the Combined Cadet Force, a program run by the British Armed Forces in schools. He describes it as if he had been drawn to it, stating, “It felt almost like a destiny.” Since his academic skills weren’t particularly strong, he excelled instead at sports.

Following high school, Tayme had an intense desire to join the Royal Marines due to ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan that stirred his sense of duty. However, his father urged him to prioritize earning a degree first, leading Tayme to enroll in a dance course at Kingston University in West London. “I should clarify,” he chuckles, “that I wasn’t a dancer! I was unsure about my next steps and decided on this course because it seemed to involve the least writing. As it turned out, it was quite the opposite; it required a great deal of written work!

During his downtime from studying, Tayme held a job as a security guard at a nightclub. “Definitely, no one feared me,” he admits. “Even though I had a youthful appearance, working as a bouncer at just 19 years old wasn’t easy.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, let me share my story: To ready myself for the Marines, I embarked on a training regimen with a close family acquaintance who had served in Britain’s elite Special Air Service (SAS). The aim was to boost my physical prowess and endurance. I excelled in the aptitude test and fitness challenges, but there was a snag. “I fell short during the physical evaluation as they discovered that my left ear has limited hearing capabilities,” I confessed. “The moment I stepped off a plane when I was 11, it just never popped.

He was quite dejected when his application was denied. As he had poured all his effort into preparing for something he deeply desired, he expressed, “It left me feeling hollow.” And in a way, it shattered him. He found himself at a loss, unsure of how to proceed.

Instead of saying: His dad recommended he move in with his aunt and uncle in Thailand for a fresh perspective, utilizing the linguistic abilities his parents made him hone as a child. Upon landing in Bangkok, he had an uncertain plan to break into the entertainment industry. “I was fond of acting and singing, but I never gave it much thought.”

You could rephrase it more smoothly like: His father proposed that he stay with his aunt and uncle in Thailand for a new environment, leveraging the language skills he’d been compelled to develop as a child. Upon touching down in Bangkok, he harbored a vague ambition to get involved in entertainment. “I had always enjoyed acting and singing, but I hadn’t taken it too seriously before.

Initially, he discovered that his lack of experience made the competitive Thai entertainment world a tough challenge. Later on, a connected friend advised him to audition for a reality talent show titled “Academy Fantasia“, which was like a combination of “X-Factor” and “Big Brother“. In this show, 24 aspiring performers resided in a house while preparing for weekly singing, acting, and dancing competitions. To his surprise, Tayme finished as the runner-up and received a recording contract.

Initially, I found a certain appeal, but gradually, it lost its charm. As a cinephile who’s deeply rooted in blues and R&B, I confess that the market here didn’t seem to resonate with my style. Consequently, they were attempting to mold me into a rock artist, which wasn’t an authentic reflection of my identity.

So far, Tayme had built up enough experience to move into acting, securing small parts in foreign films that were shot in Thailand, like “Skin Trade”, “Farang”, and the Netflix series “Thai Cave Rescue”. However, despite working alongside martial arts legend Tony Jaa, he found it hard to secure leading roles. Instead, he often found himself playing characters such as corrupt policemen or drug dealers, according to him. The longest he’d ever spent filming was for a fortnight.

After spending five years honing his skills in singing and acting, he began to question his career path due to uncertainty about its future direction. As he expressed, “I yearned for financial stability.” This is when he made the decision to enlist in the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

Despite being by far the oldest recruit undergoing the six months of basic training, he sufficiently impressed his instructors to be posted to the elite Counter Terrorist Operations Command, which is equivalent to the U.S. Delta Force. After three years, he was made an officer in the Close Projection division of Thailand’s Armed Forces Security Centre, its CIA equivalent, which is charged with guarding high-ranking officials. Tayme ended up serving as a shooting instructor. “I was initially trained as an agent just using handguns and stuff,” he says. “But then later I decided to do counter assault, which is the SWAT team attached to security details.”

Three years on, Tayme chose to depart the military in pursuit of more financially rewarding security work. A fortuitous encounter with the Thai rapper Way from hip-hop group Thaitanium led him to be his personal bodyguard. During his security duties, an opportunity to audition for Lotus arose. “I’ve always envisioned myself as an action protagonist due to my weapons proficiency,” he explains. “However, with The White Lotus, I’m prepared to try anything. I adore it.

Beyond just that, his close collaboration with Lisa has significantly boosted his popularity at home. He shares, “My daughter is a big fan of Blackpink.” He himself isn’t particularly into K-pop, but when he returns home, he often finds Blackpink concerts playing on the television.

Taylor acknowledges Lisa’s role in refining his Thai accent for the film “Lotus”. Since his character is a child of an island, raised on Samui, he needed to significantly improve his Thai and degrade his English.

Currently, Tayme boasts an American representative and hasn’t dismissed the possibility of relocating to Hollywood should it benefit his profession. He’s already landed roles in the forthcoming “Alien: Earth” series due later this year, as well as the upcoming Jason Statham film titled “Mutiny.” As he puts it, “Security has always served as my safety net, but this time, I’m truly going to chase acting. This opportunity might not present itself again, and if so, it will be a remarkable experience.

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2025-02-15 16:07

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