The White Lotusis great at creating larger-than-life characters while allowing us to understand who they are and why they make certain decisions, and there are some characters in particular that I would love to see again in a potential All-Star season. While the plots of the series and the sticky situations that the characters get into are always entertaining, some of the best moments occur simply when the characters are sitting down, talking to one another, likeLaurie’s monologue inThe White Lotusseason 3.
The White Lotusseason 3’s endingsaw the deaths of some of our favorite characters, but other equally entertaining vacationers survived.The White Lotusseason 4has already been confirmed, although we still don’t know where it will be set and which returning characters it will include. If the new season follows the current trend of bringing back previous characters, even if not in an All-Star kind of season, there are a few White Lotus guests who should definitely reappear.
8Olivia Mossbacher (Sydney Sweeney)
The Sarcastic College Student Could Have Moved Into The Professional World
Olivia feels like season 1’s version of Piper in that both of the daughters greatly benefited from their parents' wealth but did not fully understand how their opinions and experiences were still shaped by that wealth. However, Sydney Sweeney’s sarcastic, confident character, Olivia, comes off completely differently from Piper’s, and the result is much more entertaining. Olivia is very quick and witty, and at times is almost antagonistic to those around her.The brashness of the character would be fun to see againin any context.
Odds are, she would be more like her mother than ever.
Given that season 1 took place four years ago, and it will be a while before season 4 arrives on HBO and Max, Olivia would have grown up in the meantime. If the character were to show up again in another season,The White Lotuswould be able to explore how her life has changed after starting a career. Odds are, she would be more like her mother than ever, butthe series would still need to bring back the humor of Olivia’s scenes,such as the iconic “power bottom” conversation about her grandfather.
7Paula (Brittany O’Grady)
Olivia And Paula Were Great Together
Along with Olivia, it would be great to see Paula return to another White Lotus location. Olivia’s college friend joined the family on vacation, though she was visibly uncomfortable in several scenes.Much like Olivia, Brittany O’Grady’s Paula was excellent at making conversations just slightly uncomfortable, both by bringing up valid criticisms of the family’s Hawaiian vacation and by creating hilarious drama. Her burgeoning romance with one of the hotel’s employees created an interesting rift between her and Olivia, making their dynamic both toxic and fun.
Whether Olivia and Paula show up in a future season ofThe White Lotustogether or if Paula shows up on her own, the character should return. Based on how much trouble she created during her stay with the Mossbachers, Paula could certainly be an entertaining character again.Paula’s drug use and romance created some sticky situations for her and Olivia, but they were also some of the most entertaining parts of season 1. As a working adult, Paula may have mellowed out some, but another visit toThe White Lotuscould see her get into even more trouble.
6Frank (Sam Rockwell)
Season 3 Needed More Of Frank
The addition of Sam Rockwell’s Frank halfway through season 3 ofThe White Lotuswas a pleasant surprise, but the character sadly did not get the time he deserved. That being said, every time he was onscreen,Frank was stealing the show. It was clear fromFrank’s monologue in episode 5that the character has been through some stuff. He explains to his old friend Rick that after moving to Thailand, he went down a dark path that saw him questioning his identity and sexuality, so he turned to Buddhism in response.
The point of this confession initially seems to be that he had changed and was no longer the violent person that Rick once knew, but that quickly changes as the two begin partying together just two episodes later. Frank goes beyond a point where he can control himself, but in the finale, it seems that he is back to his peaceful, sober ways. The character is incredibly entertaining and complex, even from the few scenes where we do see him. In a potential return,Frank would likely have to grapple with both his brief relapse and his friend’s death.
5Mia (Beatrice Granno)
Mia Could Have Found Success In Her Singing
Rather than portraying a guest in a previous season, Beatrice Granno played Mia, an aspiring singer who frequents the White Lotus hotel in Sicily with her friend Lucia. The pair are sex workers who attempt to sleep with various guests and employees at the hotel with varying success.Their dynamic is really fun to watch and at times quite wholesomeas the friends support each other without being judgmental. Mia is the more timid of the two initially, but she grows more confident as the season progresses and ends the week with a new job.
While some ofThe White Lotus’s plotlines can be quite serious, Mia’s is fairly relaxed, and the stakes do not feel that high despite being entertaining. Instead, she is a likable character, and her skills as a musician are her main focus. While she and Lucia cause a bit of trouble around the hotel, they are never in any real danger. After the seriousness ofThe White Lotusseason 3,Mia would be the perfect character to return as someone who is exciting to watch but not overly stressful.
4Lucia (Simona Tabasco)
Lucia Is Such A Fun Character
Lucia was one ofThe White Lotus’s best characters, and she should come back in season 4 as a newly wealthy guest looking to have a fun time. Theend ofThe White Lotusseason 2saw Lucia scam Albie out of €50,000 by convincing him that her pimp was keeping her in Italy. In reality, she simply got Alessio to pretend to threaten her to help her make money. After this,Lucia would certainly have enough money to take a trip of her own,and it would be fitting for her to choose another White Lotus resort.
Lucia and Mia played so well together, and it would be great to see them return as a pair.Their friendship was arguably one of the strongest friendships that the show has hadacross all three seasons, so if any of the relationships survived beyond the week, it would be theirs. I could see them going on a girls' trip together to a new luxurious location, but even if Lucia appeared on her own, it would still be great. Lucia is very spunky, surprising, and fun, so I have no doubt that the character’s personality could fit into future seasons as well.
3Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore)
The Stressed Resort Manager Deserves A Vacation Of Her Own
The staff members at the White Lotus resorts are always going through tough times. From Armond spiraling due to Shane’s treatment of him to season 3’s traumatic shooting, it does not seem easy for the employees of these hotels. Season 2’s manager, Valentina, arguably fares the best since she makes it out alive, and the season’s deaths happened at sea rather than on hotel property, but she is the most tightly wound of the managers. After dealing with the deaths of several hotel guests,it only seems fair that she deserves to go on vacation too.
The White Lotusseason 2 currently holds the show’s highest rating at 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Valentina loosens up a little as the season progresses, eventually having sex with Mia and hiring her to work at the hotel, but it is clear that she values order above all. With the shock ending, Valentina might want to take a break somewhere where she does not have to be in charge. Much like Belinda appearing as a guest and trainee in season 3,Valentina could do some sort of exchange with another White Lotus locationthat would allow her to relax, though, of course, knowingThe White Lotus,something stressful would inevitably get in the way.
2Laurie Duffy (Carrie Coon)
Laurie Was One Of Season 3’s Best Characters
Carrie Coon’s performance as Laurie Duffy inThe White Lotusseason 3 was one of the season’s biggest standouts. The storyline of the girlfriends all going on vacation together and constantly getting into little disagreements was so entertaining, and Laurie was the best of the three. The friends were all quite different, butLaurie felt the most honest and real about her feelings and the struggles that she facedin her life. The character was fun and a little dramatic when she needed to be, but she was also really heartfelt.
Throughout the season, Laurie had an interesting journey. When she arrived, it was clear that there were some cracks in the friend group and thatLaurie often wanted more honesty and more adventure. The scenes with the three of them together are great, but Laurie’s scenes alone added something extra to the character. It would be just as entertaining for Laurie to return to a White Lotus hotel for her own vacation, or even with her daughter, to do more soul searching and adventuring, but just for herself this time.
1Victoria Ratliff (Parker Posey)
Victoria Would Find A Way To Pay For Another Luxurious Trip
Victoria Ratliff’s future was left pretty uncertain at the end ofThe White Lotusseason 3. Though Timothy decided not to poison his family, they were about to return home to the possibility of losing all their money and Timothy going to jail. Victoria had made comments on multiple occasions about her expectations to live an easy, wealthy life, but in all likelihood, that was not going to happen. However, I still think that Victoria could make a surprise appearance at the White Lotus in the future becauseshe would certainly find a way to stay rich.
Parker Posey was hilarious in every scene she was in, easily making Victoria one of the show’s best characters.
While Timothy may lose all his money, Victoria would do what she has to do to live a life of luxury, so I would love to see a new storyline where she reappears inThe White Lotus. Parker Posey was hilarious in every scene she was in, easily making Victoria one of the show’s best characters. Her perfectly aloof line delivery stole every scene she was in.The White Lotusseason 3 had a lot of intense moments, but Victoria Ratliff always lightened the mood and served as a reminder of what makes the show so great.
