Morning Joe - Morning Joe Extra: 'White Lotus'

Episode Date: April 5, 2025

With The White Lotus Season Three finale this weekend, Morning Joe is bringing you a special podcast episode featuring our conversations with actors Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell and Leslie Bibb.

This Sunday is the much anticipated finale of season three of The White Lotus. And we're bringing you a special podcast episode featuring our conversations with some of the stars of the show. Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell, and Leslie Bidd. The actors give us a behind the scenes look from the hit HBO series, from grueling shoots in the Thai heat to which cast member refuses to watch themselves on screen. Plus Jason Isaacs even weighs in on a few real world headlines. Thanks so much for listening. I feel really lucky to be here. I want to learn everything I can and bring the magic back to Maui.

It's a wellness center. You should get a facial. Rick, the lady in the airport thought you were my dad. My god. Old friends. Long time friends, not old. What happens in Thailand stays in Thailand. Oh, what does that mean? It means we're not dead yet.

Amen. Everyone comes to Thailand, they're either hiding from someone Oh, what does that mean? It means we're not dead yet. Amen, amen. Everyone comes to Thailand, they're either hiding from someone or they're looking for someone. I think the cosmos brought us together. I'm gonna help you bring your joy back. Oh, hey, slow down. Why are rich men always so angry? Everything will be fine. This is work stuff.

We're not supposed to tell my family. We're poor now and daddy's going to prison. That was a look at the new season of HBO's hit show, The White Lotus. After trips to Hawaii and Italy, season three travels east to Thailand where a mix of new and familiar faces come together at the White Lotus Hotel to enjoy vacations filled with rivalries, jealousy, danger, and yes, even death. Joining us now, one of the members of the show's amazing cast, Golden Globe nominated actor Jason Isaacs. He plays Timothy Ratliff, a wealthy southern businessman on vacation with his family who

finds himself embroiled in steep financial and legal troubles. Jason, you made an appearance at the end of that preview mostly just cursing. Yes. Most of what I do in the show is not shown. You can't put it out on daytime TV, but it's adult television. We have the bleep button at the ready usually for... You need to pixelate as well at various points, but anyway, there we go. So this is, as you sat down, you were talking about how just like a worldwide phenomenon

this is. Now when I sat down, I went, how do you transition from killing people all over the world by taking their medicine away and then talk about a television show? But maybe there is some kind of segue because it's about rich people being selfish. I don't know. All right. Well, you've done that very nicely here. I want to know this.

If you decided that Medicare wasn't working, would you shut down all treatment for every single person in America? Or would you go, let's review it while it's ongoing because we're saving people's lives? How do you take money away from the entire world, killing millions of people, taking their medicine away, and then go, we'll review it and we may give it back to you in a few months' time when you're dead? What is the logic behind that? Who voted for that?

Well, you just said, as you sat down, as we talked about our current state of our politics, that some of this, what he's doing, particularly the slashing of USAID, what President Trump's done, that was not part of his campaign. No part of his mandate. I watched in horror most of the campaigning, and he never mentioned any of that stuff. Anyway, sorry, we're talking about a television show. There is a tie-in. I play an enormously wealthy and self-centered person who has really only thought about himself

for most of his life. And you talked about people enjoying the holiday at the White Lotus Hotel. I do not have a very enjoyable holiday, I think it's better to say. Well, we appreciate versatile guests who can do both the news and their show. But we will go and spend a moment or two on the show now. So this was, the first two seasons, a phenomenon. Yes. You know, I wasn't in them.

I know. I'm giving you, but this one will be even bigger and better because you are in it. That's right. So, but was there pressure, anticipation, excitement? What was the, the pro, your thought process into joining the cast? Oh, well, I read the scripts, of course, and I thought, I'm not sure I'm a good enough actor for the stuff that Mike White's given me. But then I watched the, you know, I'd seen the first two seasons and the standard of

storytelling and the standard of performance is so magnificent. I thought, well, I'll throw myself at his mercy and if I'm not good, I guess I'll get fired. Talk to us about the Thailand setting. Well we were in Thailand and all of my friends and any of the public think that we had a seven month holiday, but believe me, it wasn't a holiday. It was hot enough to melt this table. And when you're in a big sweaty room with a lot of people and TV lights for all day and covered in makeup,

it gets sticky by the end of the day. So we weren't sunbathing, we weren't doing our stuff. It was hard work. And then the hardest thing, really, was being so far from our friends and family all that time. Halfway around the world. With a lot more time off than I've ever

had on the job before. And what was those moments? Were they bonding experiences for the cast? It's a remarkable group of actors and actresses. Well, you go one way or the other, don't you? You either bond or you just say you feel like you're trapped in a prison cell with someone. Lord of the Flies style.

Exactly. We made a lot of very good friends and we made a lot of people whose numbers we might not keep. So tell us a little bit about Moore. You gave us a brief introduction to your character, but talk to us a little more about who he is and the predicament he finds himself in. He is, I can't swear on morning television,

but he's what Tom Wolfe called the big swinging person of Broadway, sorry, of Wall Street. He is a titan of industry in Durham, North Carolina, where he comes from. And he's generational wealth, money going back probably since the Mayflower Land. And he gets there, and his children are the children of very privileged, you know, someone who is, you know, there's monuments to him and to his relatives, everybody. His grandfather was the governor. And he gets there, and it looks very quickly like everything that he ever was is threatened and might disappear.

The reason I said in Thailand, by the way, the reason Mike said it there, is he wanted to delve into questions of self and identity and spirituality and ego. And I have all those things very severely threatened. All right. Well, the new episodes of season three of The White Lotus, they debut Sundays on HBO and they also stream concurrently on Max. It is a phenomenon. Actor Jason Isics, thank you for being here and for sharing your views. Thanks for having me. We really appreciate it. And that does it for us this morning. We'll be back Monday morning right at 6 a.m. Eastern here on the East Coast.

Ana Cabrera picks up the coverage in one minute. Have a good weekend, everybody. You Belinda How are you? Oh, are you enjoying your exchange? Absolutely great It appears you have many fans one of our regulars was just asking me all about you Really I wanted to know your name and why you're here. I think you've caught his eye. Who was it?

He's an American. He has a lovely girlfriend, but he certainly seems interested in you. I think he's quite rich. I'll introduce you. Well, that's not creepy at all. That was an early look at episode 5 of the third season of The White Lotus, The Phenomenon, which airs this Sunday on HBO and Max. One of the returning characters this year

is Melinda, who worked at The White Lotus in Hawaii back in season one And who's now on a work exchange trip to the resort in Thailand this season Belinda runs into another character from season one Greg who is hiding from law enforcement in Thailand and May not like that Belinda has spotted him Joining us now the Emmy nominated actor who plays Linda, Natasha Rothwell. Natasha, thank you so much for being here. Thanks for having me. It is phenomenal.

So, you know, and since season one, which you were in, and now you return for season three, it has only grown in terms of its cultural importance. And frankly, I'd say obsession. What was that like coming back for stepping back into the role, into this world? Yeah, I mean, it was very surreal. It was supposed to be a limited series, season one.

And then when season two came back, I was watching from home like everyone else and content to do so because I'm just such a fan of Mike and everything he does. And when I got the call, I was floored. And talk to us about, as you sat down, you were saying the shoot in Thailand, beautiful, but also grueling and lengthy. Tell us about it. That's right. No, practical location shooting, it makes for excellent television, but it is really

hard and grueling. The temperatures were very hot, unlike anything that I've shot in before. And sometimes our takes would be interrupted, elephants roaring and cicadas screaming. And so we had to contend with a lot of nature. But I think doing that together as a group, it created quite the family on set. So Natasha, you've been in some incredible series, including Insecure, my personal favorite. But there is this kind of intense cultiness to White Lotus. And I was curious about how that particular,

this particular series has impacted your career and just your engagement with fans because people are just obsessed. Yeah, I mean, I had no idea the show would have the impact it has. And I'm just so grateful to HBO and my family there because I, you know, like you said, I've done insecure with HBO and now this.

And yeah, fans are so rabid. I mean, I get stopped everywhere. People want to know what I know. And I'm, I've signed Insecure with HBO and now this. And yeah, fans are so rabid. I mean, I get stopped everywhere. People want to know what I know. And I've signed my life away. Asking for spoilers. Spoilers. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I think it's incredible to be

a part of television that's creating water cooler culture again, where people have appointment viewing and they're talking about art. I think, yeah, it's exciting to know that that can still happen. And that's an argument for a show, even though it's exciting to know that that can still happen. And that's an argument for a show, even though it does appear on a streaming service to appear just once a week, rather, so it's not binged and therefore creates that appointment television

and that phenomenon, hey, we got to watch this and then talk about it. So Natasha, let's take a look at another clip from this Sunday's episode where your character, Belinda, talks with her colleague about spotting Greg at the White Lotus. I have seen him, yeah. I'm telling you. Do you think you might want to do something? Like to me, you know? I mean, it would be just my luck.

I'm just starting to feel good about life again. And plot twist out of the blue, just seriously. We're delivering the goods with these sneak peeks here. Talk to us about the relationships with the cast. Obviously, there'll be a few holdovers, like yourself, but so many new faces on a shoot that's that long and that far away. And in a show where that sort of ensemble nature is so vital, talk to us about those dynamics.

Yeah, I mean, it's kind of very magical what Mike does. He's quite the alchemist with the people that he brings in the roles because somehow we all truly get along. The text chain is popping and we're all quite friendly with each other. Because it creates a camp environment. We move around and we're all quite, you know, friendly with each other and because it creates a camp environment, we move around and we travel, you know, as this herd. But it's lovely to be able to, you know,

sit down and have dinner with folks and continue that connection even after we've wrapped filming. All right, well, new episodes of season three of The White Lotus. They do indeed debut Sundays on HBO and Max. Actor Natasha Rothwell, thank you again. Thank you for having me. We appreciate you being here.

So...so? I think there was a little sleepover. I thought I heard some noises in the night. And then this morning, who do I see walking past my room in the same clothes he was wearing yesterday? Palette. What do you mean? I mean.

That was a look at the latest episode of HBO's hit show The White Lotus featuring Leslie Bibb. Her character travels to Thailand with two longtime friends and their complicated relationship dynamics come to the forefront, potentially endangering their friendship. And Leslie joins us now. You were so good. Thank you. I love your facial expressions. They're amazing. I guess it's a good listening. I

have good scene partners to react. Yes, absolutely. Michelle Monahan and Carrie Cooner, they're just the best. Is it so fun? Yeah, it was really really fun. You know, you don't know what it's going to like going to be like when you get a job and somehow very quickly we just clicked we were the first one to shoot so that we first got to Thailand they shot all of our villa scenes first. So we were kind of shot out of a cannon first and I don't know we just sort of started to gel immediately and so it feels like sisters so in the break. You said you don't watch yeah, I haven't watched and

seen like that now I just like I literally just turned like I was why I don't know I'm such a jerk off to myself like. Yeah, a jerk like I'm like. No you're bad you you're so good. Thank you so much I really appreciate that it means a lot it really does and every time somebody says that I also I just it's been such an incredible experience. And I just feel like if I watch it, somehow the bubble will burst. So you're not watching it, but I assume you're I assume you're aware of the phenomenon. I mean, this is what is what is that like to

jump on? What is a rocket ship of a show? Well, here's the thing. I didn't know what it was like until the first episode came out. And then I was like, holy crap. It is a, I keep saying it's like a juggernaut. It's so cool. I've never been a part of a show like this. And it feels so exciting to, it's beloved. Like it- Yeah. And what I find really charming,

people do this stuff where they come up and they're like listen. So here's who's going to die. This is what I think is going to happen. And I'm like okay. Okay. And they're like I'm worried about you girl. I'm worried about you. So it's really sweet or they ask for stuff or they just love it.

And my partner was just on last week which was a secret I had to sort of keep memorably on memorably on. Yes, he was memorably on. And so that felt like a relief to be like, I'm a terrible liar. So everybody would be like, hey, so did Sam come visit you in Thailand? And I'd be like, mm-hmm, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

He came for like a week. He came, yeah, he came. And I was like. We can't play Sam Rockwell's monologue here. But let me ask you the. Nope. No. No. But we talked as you sat down about how the show, part of the appeal is an escapism for

people. Yeah. But your character, there are some politics to enter. Yes. I need to know what you're talking about. I'm an independent, please. Yes, but what happens after that scene where you talk about, you know, who voted for who? What happens after that scene?

Can you tell me? I don't know. I haven't seen it. Did you see it? Oh, that's right. You're not going to get spoilers from her. I'm not going to get spoilers. I mean, that's kind of great. My NDA, I signed for HBO. I keep really fully intact. I know, right? I love it. It was so well executed. Oh, thank you so much. I find this really interesting.

Mike White wrote that scene in 2022. So they were supposed to film, imagine somewhere in the 2022. It aged very well. It did age, didn't it? It became very relevant. They were supposed to film the show in the top half of 2023.

So it really wasn't as relevant as it is today. So okay. Maybe it'll bring us together. Okay, new episodes of season three of The White Lotus debut Sunday on HBO and Max. Actress Leslie Bibb, thank you so much for being on this morning. Thank you. You're so awesome. That does it for us this morning. But guess what? Guess what, Jonathan? Do we get to do it again tomorrow? Yeah, we get to do this again tomorrow. Guys, aren't you lucky guys? Hi, I feel like we're really rocking the same... I know! They have a particular name for this. Yours looks better. Have you heard what they're calling it? What? We should

wait till we go off. We'll wait till we go off.