The White Lotus Season 3 finale will hit HBO this weekend, finally revealing which character eventually winds up in a body bag and who’s going to be shooting that gun (or guns). Fans of the HBO hit have been circulating their own theories for weeks about how creator/writer/director Mike White will tie the third season together. When DECIDER caught up with series star Jason Isaacs last month in our studio, he teased that the ending of The White Lotus Season 3 was “more emotional and more provocative” than any season before.
“The thing about Mike is, he’s just such a clever, interesting, surprising writer,” Isaacs said. “He just does things in ways and for reasons you don’t expect.”
Isaacs then immediately referenced the twisted way in which Jennifer Coolidge‘s Tanya McQuoid perished at the end of The White Lotus Season 2. Although the kooky heroine managed to defend herself against her would-be killers, she wound up dying from a head injury sustained trying to jump off a yacht.
“Like Jennifer’s death on that boat was so genius that she got away with it and then banged the head on the side,” Isaacs said. “He’s just so endlessly inventive.”
The actor then admitted that he though this season, White had “done something else.”
“He’s spread further. He’s too talented to repeat himself and he’s wanted to go further and deeper and be more rich and resonant. Profound. It’s still funny and there’s still some shocking things coming that my wife couldn’t stop gasping and laughing when she saw it,” he said. “But I think it’s more emotional and more provocative, the ending, than titillating.”
“It’s still entertaining, but I think it’s his best stuff yet and very moving.”
Isaacs’s description matches pretty closely with the early tease series star Natasha Rothwell gave DECIDER all the way back at Winter 2024 TCA. “All I can say is, in reading all of the scripts, Mike blew my mind. Like, he is such an amazing writer, director, world-builder,” Rothwell said.
Heading into the finale, several characters appear to be in more peril than others. Isaacs’s own character, Timothy Ratliff has been dealing with extreme suicidal ideation in the face of his financial ruin. The teaser for this week’s White Lotus finale even sees him fixated on poisonous fruit that grows at the resort.
Elsewhere, Rick Hatchett (Walton Goggins) appears to have finally found zen after confronting, but not killing, his own father’s murderer, Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn). The Hollingers employ several tough bodyguards and the finale preview also teased that Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) would worry Rick would still do “something stupid.”
Finally, Belinda herself has come to the attention of Tanya’s husband and murderer, Greg (Jon Gries). He’s offered her $100,000 to keep his location secret, but she seems reluctant to work with the criminal — which could lead to her death.
Will one of these three characters be in the body bag or will it be someone else? Find out when The White Lotus Season 3 finale airs on HBO and MAX this Sunday, April 6.
If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988.
The post Jason Isaacs Teases “Profound” ‘White Lotus’ Season 3 Finale: “It’s More Emotional and More Provocative” appeared first on Decider.
