‘The White Lotus’: Breaking Down That Surprising New Arrival — and Even More Surprising Kiss

[This story contains spoilers from The White Lotus season three, episode five, “Full-Moon Party.”]

There ain’t no party like a White Lotus party, and it ain’t a White Lotus party without sex, drugs, and… wait a minute, did he just kiss his brother?

If viewers thought the season three premiere’s suggestive scene between brothers Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola) was controversial, episode five took things to another level as every single character on The White Lotus partied hard — or, in the case of surprise cast member Sam Rockwell, stopped partying all together.

It says a lot that Rockwell’s arrival on the show as a recovering-sex-addict-turned-Buddhist isn’t the most stunning moment of the evening. Perhaps it shouldn’t be all that surprising, considering Rockwell is married to Leslie Bibb, who stars this season as Trump voter Kate. But the content of Rockwell’s role is certainly shocking, given what he tells old pal Rick (Walton Goggins) about his time in Thailand, and the escapades that brought him to give up alcohol and drugs in favor of religion and chamomile tea. It’s not a one-off appearance for the actor either, as Rick asks his friend to stick around for some “role playing,” pulling him deeper into his revenge scheme.

But that’s not the most shocking development this week, nor is it what happens with the three best friends, Kate (Bibb), Laurie (Carrie Coon) and Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), even as that story’s very much heating up when, after a long night out where it appeared Laurie was going to sleep with Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius) at Jaclyn’s suggestion, Jaclyn ends up seducing Valentin behind Laurie’s back.

The biggest shock of the evening ends up belonging to the Ratliff family storyline, though not Timothy (Jason Isaacs), who dominated the conversation this past week due to his is-it-or-is-it-not prosthetic penis; he’s on the verge of ending his own life to avoid the fallout of his financial scandal, but instead ends the episode praying to god for a sign of what to do. Tim’s still hanging on, though he might find himself closer to a full breakdown once he finds out what happened this week with his sons, Saxon and Lochlan, who locked lips on their moonlit cruise during a drug-fueled bender, urged onward by Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon).

“If you watch the other seasons, you have an idea of what Mike White’s looking for,” Schwarzenegger tells The Hollywood Reporter of Saxon and what this week’s episode introduces about the brothers. “I remember the first time he told me what he was looking for with this role, how he wanted him to be this kind of douchebag that was so ridiculous, so without a filter. But also really funny and charismatic — that you loved to hate him, but you also kind of love him.”

Already a complex character, Schwarzenegger says Saxon’s kiss with brother Lochlan only complicates things further: “There’s always more than what meets the eye of the shock value on screen.”

Nivola, who plays Lochlan, agrees about the importance of this moment. “He’s just an incredibly insecure guy, a real people pleaser who needs something from the people,” he tells THR. “He’s not very self-sufficient, he needs love and support from the people around him in his life, and I think he’s willing to go to all the lengths to find the people he loves.

“There’s a push and pull between sex, and then Piper trying to control his future,” he adds. “But for me? I don’t think Lochlan really gives a shit which path he goes down. I think it’s more that he’s going to choose whichever path feels like it’s with the person who loves him the most.” Time will tell.