It’s a very meta morning as The White Lotus‘s Sarah Catherine Hook jumps on our Zoom from her hotel room in Los Angeles. It’s not just any hotel room: She’s staying at the Four Seasons Los Angeles in Beverly Hills, which is appropriate given that every season of The White Lotus has been filmed at a Four Seasons resort location (Four Seasons Maui; Four Seasons Taormina).
If anything, the delicate floral-and-twig-themed headboard behind her looks better suited for the landscape of the Four Seasons in Thailand than that of Los Angeles. Fitting, since later that evening Hook is attending the season three premiere of The White Lotus, which was set in Thailand.
“It’s very meta,” the 29-year-old Alabama native agrees. “Also, it’s so comfy here. I don’t want to ever leave.”
Who can blame her? That sentiment doesn’t just apply to her physical surroundings, but the entire experience of being a part of the Emmy-winning anthology series, which changes casts (except for one or two actors) each season.
In season three, Hook—who also stars in Prime Video’s Cruel Intentions and the upcoming adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation on Netflix—plays Piper Ratliff, a college senior majoring in religion and middle child to Tim (Jason Isaacs) and Victoria Ratliff (Parker Posey). When I ask if she had any contact with the other “kids” from previous White Lotus seasons (i.e. Sydney Sweeney, Adam DiMarco, etc.), she says no.
“I wish there had been, but I was never put in contact with any of them,” she says. “Sam (Nivola, who plays Piper’s brother Lochlan) worked with Meghann Fahy on The Perfect Couple, so they got to really bond over it. But I didn’t talk to any of them.” She acknowledges it could possibly feel weird for the previous cast to see a whole new group of actors step in, “As if it’s like, ‘Oh, I’m not a part of this graduating class.’”
In fact, Hook says she doesn’t know if she’ll be able to watch The White Lotus in season four for that same reason. But, her curiosity will most likely get the best of her. “I love The White Lotus so much, so I’m kind of ride or die forever,” she says. “But I have thought, ‘I wonder if I really would watch the fourth season.’ Maybe the previous casts don’t really want to engage so we can have our own experience. That’s what I would think. In a way, I’m kind of glad that I didn’t connect with them. It’s better just to go in and experience it yourself.”
The experience was one that Hook says she’ll cherish forever. Whether it’s her new, honorary brothers (Patrick Schwarzenegger’s Saxon and Sam Nivola’s Lochlan) or invaluable conversations about the industry with Parker Posey and Michelle Monaghan, Hook’s time on The White Lotus will no doubt take her career to the next level.
But first, there’s some things she wants you to know. From her given name (don’t call her Sarah) to her doppelgänger, The White Lotus‘ Sarah Catherine Hook is that refreshing talent who is open, self deprecating, and ready to play. Read on for our latest edition of New Here.
Glamour: Your Instagram bio says, “Sarah Catherine. It’s a double name, try it.” So, let’s set the record straight: Your name is not Sarah—it’s Sarah Catherine—but I would imagine it drives you crazy when people don’t realize that.
Sarah Catherine Hook: It totally drives me crazy. So, here’s the story: I’m from Alabama, and in Alabama every single girl has two first names. My very best friend is Sarah Ross. That’s her first name, Sarah, and then Ross. She has an even harder time because that sounds like a last name. And also, not to mention, most of us have four names. Sarah Catherine is on my birth certificate, and then Campbell is my middle, followed by Hook, my last name. It is so obnoxious for me. I don’t even want it. I wish it wasn’t my name.
Oh no! But it’s such a pretty name.
I would love to go by Campbell, which I think is such a pretty name, but I cannot stomach people shortening it and calling me Cam. I’m not Cam, I’m not Cami. Honestly, the thing that makes Sarah Catherine okay for me is that I have a ton of nicknames. Most of the time people don’t really call me Sarah Catherine; they’ll call me SC or Scat or whatever they come up with. As long as it’s not Sarah. I’d honestly rather be called Catherine than Sarah. Because just Sarah is not my name. So, that’s the story with it. Every girl in my class was either Laura Catherine, Mary Elizabeth, Mary Catherine. It’s ridiculous. [Laughs]
I’ll never forget interviewing Sarah Jessica Parker years ago when I said to her, “Do you prefer Sarah or Sarah Jessica or SJ?” and she said, “No, it is Sarah Jessica.”
Wow, that’s cool for me to know because I know Sarah Michelle Gellar doesn’t mind being Sarah. And then same with Mary Elizabeth Winstead, I know she’s Mary. But I do think [having the three names] looks so strong on screen. If it was just Sarah Hook, that’s not very memorable. I like it as a whole, and I think it looks good. But it’s such a burden, oh my God. [Laughs]
Well, I’m glad we can finally set the record straight. By the way, I usually stay away from asking this question, but do people say you look like anyone in particular?
All the time. All the time. I get so many people. It depends on my hair color. For Cruel Intentions, everyone kept saying I look like Brie Larson. My whole life I’ve gotten Reese Witherspoon. I don’t feel like I look like her as much anymore, but in high school it was like, “Oh my God, you look like her.” I get Cailee Spaeny a lot these days. I’ve gotten Denise Richards before. Who do you think I look like?
A mix between Brie Larson and Ella Bleu Travolta, who’s John Travolta and Kelly Preston’s daughter.
Oh yeah, I totally see that. That’s the thing with my hair color; I look so different in White Lotus than I do in Cruel Intentions.
Have you met Brie or Reese?
No, I haven’t met any of them. Hopefully one day. The amount of times people have said that to me about Brie, and then playing either a young Reese or her daughter…I’m down. Someone call her and let them know their little doppelgänger’s running around.
Let’s talk about Parker Posey as your mother on The White Lotus. What is the best story you can share from your time working with her?
I mean, everything. It was mostly seeing her as [her character] Victoria that was so funny. In episode two, where we’re ordering food, I was shaking laughing so hard during that scene. I was like, “I don’t know how they’re going to get a clean cut of this. I am laughing too much. I’m so unprofessional right now.” But it was okay because Mike White was cackling. But when we were off-screen, Parker was still doing it. She was doing this needle pointing project while she was doing the scene, and I just loved every single time she said sex and the way she’s rolling over every time she says it. And then she looks at me, she’s like, “Ha ha ha.” She always just kind of looked to me for approval of it or something. It was so funny.
In the beginning, she and I hung out a lot and she took me under her wing. She was really sweet and cute and very curious about me. She just is a little special, unique butterfly. I’ve never met anyone like her. She and I both went to SUNY Purchase College. I was in the music program; she was in the acting program. I was an opera major. So, that was fun for us to be able to bond over that.
I would also have great chats with Michelle Monaghan about navigating [Hollywood and fame]. I always try to get tips and tricks from other actors who’ve been in the game because I’m like, “How are you doing this?” It’s fun to observe.
Which cast member did you bond with the most? Who do you still text constantly?
Patrick and Sam, hands down. We text almost every day. We have our little sibling group chat. They are my boys for life. They were my best friends the whole way through, and we remained best friends. Because people would get really close, and then kind of go their separate ways and then find other people or whatever. But we were thick as thieves. I love them so much. And I am a middle girl between two brothers in real life. It felt very meta. I was playing this girl from the South, a middle girl between two boys, really into spirituality and stuff. I was like, “Am I being punked? Did you know that I existed?”
Have your brothers met Patrick and Sam?
George, my younger brother, who is 27, came to Thailand and has met them. They all got on great. My dad is always like, “George is your biggest fan,” because he’s a bit of a cinephile. For someone who’s not in the industry, he really gets it. My older brother, Forrest, is 31, and I’m 29. Patrick and Forrest really remind me of each other.
Do Forrest and George have double names as well?
They’re normal people. [Laughs] They have the best names too, especially Forrest. Forrest is Hampton Forrest Hook, Jr. Hampton is my dad, so my brother is Hampton Forrest Hook Jr. Like the most beautiful name ever. It’s sick.
Let’s talk about the fact that you are a classically trained soprano and opera singer.
I got pretty serious about it around 14, 15 years old. I started taking voice lessons in high school and really fell in love with classical music and was kind of raised with an appreciation for it. My grandparents lived in North Carolina when I was growing up, and we would go see the orchestral performances and occasionally a night of singing. I was so enamored by it. It just seemed so sparkly and gorgeous. So then I started doing programs at Brevard Music Center in North Carolina as a high school voice student.
I remember reading Kristin Chenoweth’s autobiography when I was in eighth grade and was so taken by the fact that she was able to do opera, musical theater, TV, film, etc. I didn’t know that was possible. I kind of thought you had to stay in one lane, and you don’t cross over. And oddly, TV and film felt like too far of a reach for some reason.
Really?
Being from Alabama, how do you even get into that and what kind of college program do you do? I did talk to my mom, because I did this acting program in New York the summer after my freshman year of college at Atlantic Theater Company and it was completely life-changing. I wanted to drop out of opera school and do an acting program instead because I loved it so much. But my mom was like, “Nope, you have a gift. You’re going to keep going.” My mom and my family were huge proponents of my singing, which is so odd. Normally parents would not encourage their daughter to pursue opera, but they knew there was a bigger plan at play here. They knew I was very serious about training my voice properly.
I didn’t want to be mediocre at everything. I wanted to be really good at singing, and then take acting classes and go from there. That was kind of the plan. What’s funny is I always thought I was going to start with stage and probably do musical theater or theater and then fall into TV and film. But the way that it has flipped…I was so thankful because that really was my dream, I think. I don’t think I was letting myself actually fully believe that anyone would want me in their TV show or movie or whatever. But it’s my life now, and I am so grateful for it. I love it more and more every time I step on set. But it’s a bizarre origin story, for sure.
Do you have any superstitions as an actor?
I’m too stressed about everything else. Can’t add another thing to my plate.
If you were to be given an on-set superlative, what would it be?
Probably the most anxious or most likely to be anxious at any given moment. Or the shyest, I don’t know. I’ve noticed this about myself especially last year, whatever role I’m playing. I’m not really method acting, but somehow I just wear [my character’s] identity a little too long and strong. And so I felt like I needed to be Piper the whole time on The White Lotus. So I guess most likely to be Piper all the time?
So tell me then, for your upcoming role in the People We Meet On Vacation, what was the personality you took on there? And how is the character different from Piper?
Interesting you bring that up, because that’s kind of where I noticed it. I was doing another film in Wilmington, North Carolina, playing a completely different character from my role in People We Meet On Vacation, and I had to film them at the same time in one week. I had to leave North Carolina and go to New Orleans to finish up Vacation, and I was my age. She’s very calm and poised, compared to what I was doing in North Carolina, where I was this 18-year-old grungy, angsty girl. Even my body language changed. I was just like a 30-year-old princess in People We Meet on Vacation. She’s super likable, I guess, is what we will say. She’s really easygoing and very naturally beautiful, kind of girl next door vibes. Great, great film. I’m excited to see it.
I loved working with everyone there. Tom [Blyth] and Emily [Bader] are amazing and so right for those roles. I always loved coming in and being a guest. I’m like, “Oh, I don’t have to worry about carrying anything. I’m just here wearing pretty clothes and acting with good actors in a beautiful setting.” It’s a treat.
As we wrap, are there any causes you want to raise awareness for, given your platform?
I really want to get more involved with climate change activism. I’m so anxious about what is happening. We have to focus on saving our planet because if we don’t have the planet, we don’t even have other problems.
What’s one thing you urge everyone to do to help our planet?
I don’t love shopping for new clothes. I’m a big thrift girl. It’s more sustainable, and it’s ultimately cooler clothes. It’s win-win-win across the board. I do try to be environmentally sound in most ways. I love the planet. I want it to be okay. And I feel like she’s really sick right now.
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