‘I never accept foreign roles’: Why veteran Thai actress, 76, came out of retirement for The White Lotus

SINGAPORE – Most of the actors who joined the cast of the satirical comedy-drama The White Lotus (2021 to present) for its third season, set in Thailand, were fans of the acclaimed show going in.

But two of the most prominent Thai cast members admit they had not previously heard of the Emmy-winning anthology, which explores the complex interactions among guests and employees at a new upscale hotel each season.

After Seasons 1 and 2 were set in Hawaii and Sicily respectively, the third chapter – now streaming on Max – takes place at the fictional White Lotus resort in Thailand, and was filmed mainly at the Four Seasons Resort on the island of Koh Samui.

The ensemble cast includes American actors such as Walton Goggins, Michelle Monaghan and Patrick Schwarzenegger, alongside Thai performers including Lek Patravadi and Dom Hetrakul.

Its most famous Thai star – 27-year-old K-pop star Lisa from girl group Blackpink – recently told entertainment news site The Wrap that she had been a big fan of The White Lotus before auditioning,

But Lek, 76, and Dom, 48, were not even aware of the show, which had been nominated for 43 Emmys and won 15, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series for its first season.

Speaking to reporters over Zoom recently, Lek – a veteran theatre, film and television actress in Thailand – says it was “destiny” that she came to play Sritala Hollinger, the hotel’s enigmatic owner and wellness mastermind.

“Because I never accept foreign roles.

“I hadn’t even accepted Thai film roles for 20 years. I had retired and wanted to live quietly and peacefully, teaching,” says Lek, who appeared in the murder mystery series In Family We Trust (2018) and is a pioneer in the Thai performing arts scene.

She also refused to travel for the audition. “So, they went all the way to my home in Hua Hin to audition me,” says the performer, whose breakout role was in the Thai drama film No Paradise For You (1973).

But The White Lotus’ creator, American writer-director Mike White, 54, soon won her over.

“His personality and my feelings towards him as a director – I could feel something different,” she says.

Then she decided to watch previous seasons and was impressed. “I think he’s a great director. And the story – it looks simple, but it has a lot of depth.”

The script for Season 3 also wowed her, and she especially liked its portrayal of Thailand and Buddhism.

“It’s fun and has many angles of looking at things, especially religion.

“Mike knows a lot about Buddhism, but he has the American way of looking at it, and he shows different ways of looking at religion – which is very fair and, to me, very respectful.

“So, I decided to join (the show),” she says.

Dom – who plays Pornchai, the spa manager training his counterpart from The White Lotus resort in Hawaii, Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) – also appreciates how the series depicts his country.

“The storyline is exceptional – it’s very comedic, but it’s a black comedy.

“And with the backdrop being Thailand, it’s very Thai, with our Thai hospitality, customs, culture and norms,” says the actor, who appeared in Thai TV dramas such as The Sky Without The Sun (2023) and the drama film The Outrage (2011).

“It was just a great experience for me doing the shoot and an honour to work with the rest of the cast,” he adds.

Produced in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the series also highlights the country as a travel destination, but the actors say it showcases the Land of Smiles in a fresh light.

“Mike White presents Thailand in a different way,” says Lek. “Things you already know, they look different. And it’s very clever, beautiful and surprising.”