Movies

‘She’s Crazy in the Best Way.’ Aimee Lou Wood on Her Painfully Relatable White Lotus Season 3 Character

BBG News

The filming for the day has wrapped up on The White Lotus season 3, and the crew disperse from Four Seasons Koh Samui’s beach to freshen up before dinner. Meanwhile, cast member Patrick Schwarzenegger, along with his brother Christopher and mother Maria Shriver, who have recently arrived, are being shown around the set against the flow of the tide.

A cheerful Schwarzenegger recognizes Aimee Lou Wood, runs over to greet his fellow actor, who also smiles widely. “Last night, I dreamt about telling Patrick’s mom how nice he is,” Aimee exclaims, “and now I get to say it in real life!

It’s uncertain if Wood realizes that “Patrick’s mom” is connected to an influential American political family, being the niece of John F. Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy, as well as a past First Lady of California. However, given her casual demeanor, it seems unlikely that Wood would have changed her friendly hello based on this knowledge.

After winning accolades for her performance on the popular Netflix series “Sex Education,” Wood has landed a key role as Chelsea, a character who is both free-spirited and streetwise, in the third season of “Lotus.” This part, she openly acknowledges, feels like a natural fit for her.

As a movie reviewer, I found myself resonating deeply with the character of Chelsea, much like how astrology aligns with my own interests. In our shared passion for love and romance, she truly embodies the essence of a kindred spirit. To put it simply, she’s wonderfully eccentric in the most captivating way possible.

In this role, Wood found immense pleasure due to the extraordinary creative talent of Mike White, who pens and directs each episode of Lotus. This intriguing character was initially imagined by White two seasons, which is approximately four years ago, and has since captivated an audience of nearly 10 million viewers with its biting black comedy centered around the tensions between snobbish guests and subjugated staff at a high-end resort.

According to Wood, Mike is exceptional at engaging in dinner conversations, akin to the captivating scenes found on “White Lotus.” For me, the most intriguing parts of the series revolve around everyone gathered together, the palpable tension, and the sharp exchanges. I particularly enjoy those days when I get ample time to perform extended, two-person dialogues.

The praise for Aimee Lou Wood’s humor is certainly mutual, as White noted when TIME inquired about the funny characters in his upcoming series.

Enhancing Wood’s authenticity is that she kept her broad northern English accent while playing Chelsea, unlike her fellow British co-star Jason Isaacs who adopted a southern drawl for his character. Interestingly, Wood submitted two audition tapes – one with an American accent and one in her native voice. She was thrilled when White chose the latter option, saying “It’s fantastic! I didn’t expect them to prefer ‘the northern’ since it’s quite distinctive.

Despite the scorching heat that often left me and the make-up team with sunburn, working on the set of Lotus was an incredibly enriching journey for me. “I’m particularly captivated by Koh Samui,” I express. “It has a profound effect on me. My pace of life seems to shift here. I no longer feel the need to rush.

Despite spending months away from loved ones as a self-declared homebody becoming tiresome, the experience was intensified by the close quarters of the filming location, where cast and crew resided and worked at the same resort. She recounts, “One morning when I went down for breakfast, I saw Mike and the entire crew passing by because the set was just two steps from my room!” This made it feel like a real-life version of The Truman Show. Even during days off, there might be relaxation on the beach, but cameras and lights were still present.

As I navigate through this experience, I sense an emerging resilience within me. I’ll undoubtedly learn to discard the burdens and establish a clearer boundary between my professional commitments and personal life, something I’ve always found challenging.

Filming Lotus hasn’t been a walk in the park; it’s presented its fair share of difficulties. Wood, who has openly discussed her battles with eating disorders and self-image issues, found the prolonged period working alongside attractive co-stars in swimwear particularly trying. “It’s so tough,” she admits. “What’s been beneficial is that my character, Chelsea, is so carefree. So whenever I experience those types of insecurities, I just remind myself, ‘Chelsea doesn’t worry, I can’t either.’

Although Lotus has propelled her into a higher echelon of international acclaim, Wood expresses reservations about moving to Hollywood, worried she’d miss her loved ones too deeply. Lately, she wrapped up filming for the raw Netflix drama Toxic Town, a story adapted from real life events detailing a group of British mothers’ relentless struggle for justice after their children were inadvertently poisoned, resulting in a surge of birth defects.

In her chat with TIME, Wood revealed that she had never stepped foot in Los Angeles before. “I don’t foresee a move to Hollywood,” she shared. “However, the screening of [Lotus] is likely to be in LA, so I plan on going. And I have quite a few friends there now.

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2025-02-15 16:06

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