Walton Goggins: ‘I Was Gutted in a Such a Visceral Way’ By The White Lotus Season 3

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Only a handful of us, not even the elite of Hollywood, would pass up the chance to live in an opulent Thai beach resort for nearly a year, especially considering it’s while filming one of the world’s most-watched TV shows. However, Walton Goggins’ involvement in Season 3 of The White Lotus came with unexpected baggage.

As an ardent movie enthusiast, I, a native of Alabama, found myself on the Thai island of Koh Samui about two decades back, following a personal calamity in my life. This place is where the new “Lotus” was filmed. Coming back here wasn’t easy; it was particularly painful considering that my character, Rick—the edgy, melancholic boyfriend of the younger Chelsea, portrayed by Aimee Lou Wood—carries a striking resemblance to my own brooding, despondent past self.

For two whole months, I traveled extensively across Southeast Asia, seeking the perfect question, not even the solution, as I explained to TIME during our interview in Koh Samui in June. Therefore, returning here holds a deep and personal significance for me.

After spending several months searching for peace on beaches and in bars, Goggins experienced a particularly difficult night that led him to book a flight to India the very next day, he reminisces. “That moment was almost a turning point or breaking point for me,” he says. “Fortunately, I found what I was seeking in India.

Joining Lotus has been a remarkable trip for Goggins, an esteemed and adored character actor who has graced popular TV series such as The Shield, Justified, and more recently Fallout, along with blockbuster films ranging from Shanghai Noon to Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight.

Even so, according to Goggins, Mike White, the mastermind behind “Lotus”, is arguably one of the finest directors for bringing out the unexplored layers in actors, even though they might not be aware of it themselves, as he takes charge of writing, casting, and directing each episode.

According to Goggins, the way Mike writes characters and identifies what he needs for a role perfectly captures the essence of someone. Remarkably, Mike gave him a role without knowing his personal history, but after reading it, Goggins had a discussion with Mike to express how similar it was to his own life experiences.

Despite never having worked together before, Goggins and White have known each other for a long time and share many mutual friends, such as Laura Dern. They previously collaborated on the critically acclaimed series “Enlightened,” which left a lasting impression on Goggins: “Enlightened was truly mind-blowing; I hadn’t seen anything quite like it.

Regarding the show “Lotus”, Goggins expresses his strong appreciation for its earlier seasons, initially presented as a series confined to one location that was filmed under stringent pandemic safety measures. He remarks, “COVID-19 has caused immense disruption worldwide, but at least it brought us ‘The White Lotus’!

When Goggins received the scripts for Season 3, he eagerly consumed them. “I managed to read all eight scripts within a day,” he reminisces. “It took approximately 10 hours, split between a flight journey and a glass of wine upon returning home. I hadn’t expected the direction it was taking. And by the end of it, I felt an intense emotional strain – a physical, visceral sensation.

In its third season, premiering on February 16, Lotus explores themes of Eastern mysticism and mortality. This aligns closely with the character Goggins, who identifies as a deeply spiritual individual, influenced by his upbringing with a mother who was devoted to Paramhansa Yogananda. From the age of 12, he immersed himself in the works of Joel Goldsmith and the Urantia, deep mystical texts that explain the universe. Until he turned 24, these were virtually the only books he read.

Goggins found the education he received to be particularly meaningful, as it resonated with the themes that White is exploring this season. Many of the existential questions that troubled Goggins during his youth align with the lessons Mike is learning, and these ideas are woven throughout the dialogue in the show, according to Goggins. Essentially, he’s saying that if you can accomplish these tasks, life will work out for you.

At the age of 53, Goggins is one of the senior members in a relatively young cast. However, with the impressive success of the first two seasons of Lotus, which have earned a total of 15 Emmys so far, he is not exempt from feeling the strain.

He admits that everyone feels some degree of pressure, but he emphasizes that this is an exceptional team of actors who are eager to put forth their utmost effort and deliver their best performance. It’s not just about not disappointing Mike, but also the fans who are looking forward to it.

As someone well-versed in large-scale film productions across various continues, I wasn’t unprepared for the challenges of Lotus. However, what this unique production offered was unlike anything I had experienced before. “I’ve been engrossed in projects for as long as nine months,” I admit. “But the vibrant atmosphere Mike has created, akin to a traveling circus, was entirely novel to me. We work, live, and dine within the same confines.

Goggins acknowledges that the enforced closeness made him feel a bit uncomfortable. “I didn’t grasp the social aspect of this encounter,” he admits. “I’m more of a loner. I’m an introverted extrovert. I only have breakfast with my son and wife, usually I eat lunch alone. But here we were, 18 to 30 people, all eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner together.

Instead of leaving the set for a peaceful evening at home, the Lotus team found that their living quarters turned into nearly identical hotel rooms where they’d been filming all day. Socializing, except for occasional day trips and rare family visits, mostly consisted of interactions with coworkers.

You can’t avoid the unique experience of ‘The White Lotus’, as you’re staying in a luxury resort, eating their food, interacting with the characters,” he points out. “In essence, we return to our rooms each night and observe people dining – some of whom we’ve been satirizing throughout the day. It’s quite unusual.

In this work environment, it’s challenging to disengage because the close proximity means that even when you’re not directly involved in a specific scene, you can still easily observe and be affected by it. As Goggins puts it, “I don’t like to watch from the sidelines; I want to play the game. But here, it’s never out of sight, and it’s always lingering in your thoughts.

The division between everyday life and artistic expression started to fade, as Goggins points out. “It’s quite chilling, the resemblance, as everyone has slipped into their roles,” he says. “Whether they meant to or not, whether it was intentional or not conscious, we’ve all become the characters we portray. Aimee Lou is a prime example of this, and Parker [Posey] mirrors her character in many ways.

Goggins chuckles, saying that among everyone, Patrick Schwarzenegger seems to stand out uniquely. ‘He’s almost the only grown-up in this whole group,’ he remarks, adding that Patrick is indeed quite exceptional.

Despite currently being in a much improved state, Goggins emphasizes that his personal journey of self-discovery, which hit rock bottom in Samui, is never-ending. Whether you’re performing in Lotus or watching it from your couch, he believes everyone involved has something to learn. “Each member of the cast,” he says, “is dealing with their own existential issues, and we, as actors, are all grappling with our own existential crises while portraying characters going through similar struggles.

Goggins expresses his belief that White’s work could offer both enjoyment and emotional release or healing. He describes the insights and life advice in White’s writing as enduring and among the wisest he’s ever encountered. If these lessons were learned early in life, they would prevent a significant amount of suffering, according to Goggins. This is not an exaggeration; this was his personal experience. He hopes that you will also feel this impact while watching. However, he is uncertain about it.

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2025-02-14 16:08