In 2021, The White Lotus brought us irony. It brought us disgust. It brought us Jennifer Coolidge sobbing into a box of ashes and Alexandra Daddario making every journalist question their body of work. And while we must bid goodbye to the swaying palm trees and ominously yellow-tinged sky of the Hawaiian resort, HBO has confirmed the vacation need only take a slight detour: The social satire is coming back for a second season, this time in a new locale and with a new cast of VIPs.
Per Deadline, season 2 of The White Lotus will leave the drama of the Maui murder mystery behind in exchange for a stay in Europe. But rest assured, the story will follow another set of privileged globetrotters as they check in to a White Lotus property. Here’s what we know about what comes next.
When will season 2 premiere?
The White Lotus will return on October 30 at 9 p.m. EST, per an official press release from HBO.
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What will The White Lotus season 2 be about?
The first season followed three groups of guests as they attempted to enjoy a relaxing vacation in Maui, only for approximately everything to go awry and end in unexpected death. Because showrunner Mike White will also be involved in the second season, we can anticipate it will follow a similar trajectory—though perhaps not involving murder—and force its high-profile visitors to examine their moral failings. Whether or not they actually learn from them this time remains to be seen.
In an interview with Vulture, White shed light on a few details about the new season, including:
- Expect more sex. The showrunner describes season 2 as “a bedroom farce with teeth.”
- The second season’s story will not focus as heavily on colonialism. “I didn’t want to get into colonialism,” White said, “because I felt we did that in the first season.”
- Season 2 will also take a slightly different tone than season 1, veering away from the former’s so-called “Twitterspeak.” “Some of the criticism of the first season, I was like, I get what you’re saying, but I’m not that,” he said. “I’ve written a whole body of work. I stand by that season of The White Lotus, but it’s not the full reflection of my interests.”
And in an interview with TV Guide, White clarified how exactly the sophomore series will differ from its predecessor. “It’s a different vibe,” he said “The last one was focused on the guests versus the employees—who has the money, who has the power. This one is more about sexual politics, with elements of a bedroom farce where people are sneaking in and out of hotel rooms.”
Where will it take place?
White initially told TVLine the show would shift locations from Hawaii, saying “it would have to be a different hotel, like, say, The White Lotus: San Tropez or something.” In an interview with Vanity Fair, he hinted at possible locations in France or Japan. Finally, in January 2022, Variety first reported that season 2 would be filmed in Sicily, specifically at the Four Seasons San Domenica Palace in Taormina.
Who will be in the cast?
Multiple major newcomers will headline season 2, including Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos) and Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation). Per Variety, Imperioli was the first new cast member confirmed for season 2, and he’ll play Dominic Di Grasso, a vacationer traveling with his aging father and young son, a recent college graduate. Plaza will take on the role of Harper Spiller, another vacationer, but one who arrives with her husband and his set of friends.
F. Murray Abraham, Adam DiMarco, Meghann Fahy, Tom Hollander, Theo James, Haley Lu Richardson, Will Sharpe, and Leo Woodall are also in the cast, per Variety.
Thankfully, there are plenty of Hollywood A-listers beloved for their renditions of entitled rich people. (Basically, the entire cast of Big Little Lies seems a good fit.) Our one request? Bring Natasha Rothwell back as Belinda, and give her what she deserves: a massive, uber-successful spa business. It’s about time.
Who are the new Italian cast members?
Since the new season takes place in Italy, some actual Italian actors have been cast as characters populating the Italian resort during the week the season takes place. Actress Sabrina Impacciatore has been cast as a character named Valentina, Deadline reports, who manages the White Lotus resort in Sicily. Beatrice Grannó and Simona Tabasco are playing two local young women named Mia and Lucia who spend time around the hotel.
Is there a trailer yet?
Not quite, but an HBO Max sizzle reel shared on July 18 shared a glimpse at the new season. (Skip to 0:17 below.) The quick montage shows Coolidge’s Tanya enjoying a Vespa ride, Sabrina Impacciatore’s Valentina welcoming guests to the White Lotus, and Plaza’s Harper sharing a toast with other patrons (presumably before their vacations all go downhill).
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Another not-quite-trailer landed on August 30—a spoof advertisement showing off the Sicily hotel property. Take a look below.
Lauren Puckett-Pope is an associate editor at ELLE, where she covers news and culture.
