The White Lotus is probably one of the most cerebral shows on television right now. According to actor Will Sharpe, who portrays Ethan in season 2, every ambiguous moment is carefully calculated to engage the audience.
The White Lotus has become something of a surprise hit for HBO. Though it doesn't bring in massive ratings like House of the Dragon, the series has found a comfortable niche, and The White Lotus season 2 finale 2 doubled its viewership. The series has symbolism, ambiguity, and allusions to classical mythology. Not everything is spelled out for the audience, leading to many debates about what exactly happens throughout the show.
In an interview with Variety, Sharpe discussed what happened between Ethan and Daphne (Meghann Fahy) in The White Lotus season 2 finale. After discovering that their spouses may have slept together, he and Daphne wander off to an island together, though the audience never knows what transpired on that island. "That is open to interpretation. But I feel like whatever happened, in a literal sense, that moment between them is definitely a moment of connection. It’s a moment of intimacy," he said. "I think there’s something about Daphne’s sense of self, and the accommodation she has found with who she is, and how she’s living. Something about that, I think, affects Ethan. Often, Meghann and I were in scenes together, but that was one of very few actual interactions we had. I really felt like Meghann did such an amazing job in that scene. It was such a pleasure to be a part of that."
He also mentioned that The White Lotus series creator Mike White pulled him aside and discussed how the audience would have an evolving understanding of the character. "One thing I will say is that, right at the beginning, Mike was very upfront with me," Sharpe said. "He said to me that people’s suspicions are going to move around as they watch this series, but that he did want people to be able to imagine that Ethan might end up killing someone." His reference to Ethan possibly killing someone presumably means that White wanted the audience to think Ethan was possibly responsible for the death at the beginning of The White Lotus season 2.
Though there are only two seasons so far, White is establishing a pattern of each season opening with an unknown character dying, then exploring the events leading up to that death. The White Lotus has already been renewed for season 3 at HBO, but fans will have to wait a while before finding out if that trend continues. It's clear that White is interested in exploring spirituality and moral degradation as a result of wealth, but asking such big questions inevitably means that the audience has to come to their own conclusions.
There's an element of the "death of the author" in The White Lotus. HBO has a reputation for producing prestige television, a category in which The White Lotus firmly fits. Already, there's speculation about what Emmy's the show might be nominated for next year.
The White Lotus seasons 1-2 are now available on HBO Max.
Source: Variety