The White Lotus star Sam Nivola compares the hit HBO show to the Netflix miniseries, The Perfect Couple, in which he also starred. Before joining the cast of The White Lotus season 3, Nivola played Will Winbury, the younger brother of the groom, Benji Winbury (Billy Howle), in the Nicole Kidman-led series. The White Lotus will see Nivola playing a high school senior, Lachlan Ratliff, who is the youngest son of Timothy (Jason Isaacs) and Victoria (Parker Posey).
While speaking with ScreenRant about The White Lotus season 3, Nivola breaks down the key differences between the two series that both tackle wealth and the problems with wealth. While he admits that his characters in both shows are "pretty similar," the shows are not, especially when it comes to how they each tell stories. Nivola describes The Perfect Couple as a great experience before joining the hit HBO series. Check out what he said below:
Yeah. I mean, it's interesting. My character in the Perfect Couple was really actually, I think, pretty similar to Lochlan in a lot of ways. The shows are very different. They're very similar at face value, but then when you look into it, I think The White Lotus starts with the murder and then jumps back a week earlier and then plays it all out, whereas the timeline of the Perfect Couple was completely jumbled in a cool way that was a mix of flashbacks and present day and all leading up to this thing.
It was actually a really nice to sort of - it was really great to get to do the Perfect Couple before The White Lotus because it tackles similar themes of wealth and the problems with that and how these rich people can sort of get away with murder. And yeah, just what it's like to be someone from one of these really, really wealthy families and what the family dynamics are like. It was really great to get a run at that before going to do it again.
Storytelling Is The Key
Nivola's comment points out the similarities and key differences between the two shows. While they both tackle similar themes and revolve around murders and mysteries, the actor highlights the importance of storytelling that differentiates The White Lotus from Netflix's The Perfect Couple, with the prior telling a much more complex story.
After darkly twisted and funny misadventures in Hawaii and Sicily, where else will The White Lotus go next?
The HBO hit series has a 92% critical approval rate (and 76% audience) on Rotten Tomatoes, whereas Netflix's miniseries has a 65% critical approval rate (and 64% audience), both lower than The White Lotus. Since The Perfect Couple hit the streaming platform, many have accused the series of being a weaker version of The White Lotus, and Nivola's comment sheds some light on why the miniseries fell short in comparison.
Our Take On The White Lotus Season 3
The White Lotus Stands Out Through Intertwining Storylines
Image via Max
The White Lotus season 3 is among the biggest TV shows returning in 2025. Containing eight episodes, the new season is teased to be "longer, bigger, crazier" at a White Lotus resort property. While mystery is a key element of the show, what separates The White Lotus from similar shows like Death and Other Details is the show's ability to dive into the lives of diverse characters and explore their struggles, secrets, love, and fear, which makes the series very appealing.
The White Lotus season 3 debuts on February 16.
While Jennifer Coolidge's beloved character Tanya McQuoid will not be in season 3, her absence will be made up for by new cast members. The White Lotus season 3 trailer has offered a glimpse of what to expect. Set in Thailand, the guests arrive with their problems as a series of crimes loom in the background of the seemingly peaceful, luxurious resort. Complex storylines are again at the center of the new season's allure.
Custom image by Simone Ashmoore
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