Okay White Lotus fans get ready for some behind-the-scenes scoop! Michelle Monaghan is opening up about filming Season 3 in Thailand and it sounds like it was just as dramatic and fun off-screen as it is on. Turns out living in paradise with an amazing cast leads to some seriously close bonds and maybe a little roommate action with an indie queen!
Roommate Situation: Michelle Monaghan and Parker Posey Became Besties on White Lotus Set!
Seven whole months filming in Thailand for "The White Lotus" Season 3? That is plenty of time to get to know your castmates and Michelle Monaghan definitely made some strong connections. She said she clicked with Leslie Bibb and Carrie Coon who play her friends in the show but guess who else she got super close to? Parker Posey!
Michelle revealed "I also got to live with Parker Posey" calling her "my indie queen." Imagine having Parker Posey as your roommate for months in Thailand! Michelle said she spent a lot of time with Parker and that Parker is "one of the most thoughtful soulful women" she knows. She even called Parker "a little bit of a witch" in the best way because Parker had all these "lotions and potions" and gave wise advice. Sounds like an amazing living situation!
Beyond Parker: Cast Bonding Gym Sessions and Full Moon Parties in Thailand Paradise
It wasn't just Parker Posey though. Michelle said the whole cast dynamic was "beautiful." She also bonded with Natasha Rothwell and Walton Goggins. Turns out Walton was a friend of mutual friends for years and they finally got to really hang out and get to know each other on set.
When the cameras stopped rolling the cast had a blast exploring Thailand together. Michelle mentioned everything from going out to eat to experiencing a Full Moon Party! They spent time on boats snorkeling and diving. Living in such a tropical place was like a "dream come true" for them. And for the "gym rats" in the cast they had a routine of breakfast then hitting the gym together for runs and workouts. On days off they would go on adventures to temples and other cool spots. Sounds like work and play all rolled into one amazing experience.
Family Time on Set and Co-star Love: Michelle's Kids and Aimee Lou Wood's Sweet Words
For Michelle it was extra special because her family came to visit for a good chunk of the filming. Her kids were there for spring break and then for the whole summer. They even got their diving certificates together which is a super cool memory. Having her family there made the whole "White Lotus" experience even more "once-in-a-lifetime" for her not just for work reasons but personally too.
Co-star Aimee Lou Wood who is also in Season 3 said Michelle's family visiting was great for everyone. Aimee told People that Michelle's kids "brought the real world in" which they all needed. Being on set in hotels with just the cast and crew could get a little isolated so having "real life coming in" with Michelle's family was a welcome change. It sounds like the cast really became a family both on and off screen.
Jaclyn's Juicy Storyline: Betrayal Cheating and Toxic Female Friendships in White Lotus Season 3
Okay let's talk about Michelle's character Jaclyn in "The White Lotus." It sounds like things are going to get MESSY. Jaclyn is part of a trio of childhood friends on a girls' trip with Laurie (Carrie Coon) and Kate (Leslie Bibb). At first they seem like besties but that quickly falls apart.
Jaclyn is described as urging her friend Laurie to hook up with Valentin the younger private butler at the resort. But then BAM Jaclyn ends up hooking up with Valentin herself! Talk about friend betrayal. Glamour called Jaclyn "that friend" you know the one who stabs you in the back. Apparently this storyline is going to spark conversations about female friendship and what it means to be a woman in the world. It's all about those complicated relationships and maybe some "toxic positivity" where everything looks perfect on the surface but underneath it's not so great.
Michelle herself said that in the show "They’re presenting kind of their best selves and then you know inevitably we start to see the cracks in their ‘perfect’ lives." Sounds like classic "White Lotus" cringe-worthy and totally relatable drama.
Aging Hollywood Scandals and Sisterhood: Themes to Expect in White Lotus Season 3
Michelle's storyline also touches on aging in Hollywood which is a hot topic right now. In the show Jaclyn's friends apparently snark about her behind her back picking apart her marriage to a younger guy and whether she has had "work done." But it is not just Jaclyn. Apparently all three women are constantly comparing themselves to each other and judging each other. Michelle said "There’s this constant comparison that women oftentimes have with each other and with themselves." She hinted that creator Mike White has witnessed this dynamic in friendships and the show explores how women "endure those things and also perpetuate them."
Despite the drama Michelle did mention a "sisterhood move" happening during filming. She said shouting out Parker Posey and other women in her life is a recurring theme for her. So even amidst the toxic friendships maybe there will be some positive female connections too?
Thailand Heat Waves and Spiritual Blessings: Behind the Scenes of White Lotus Season 3 Production
Filming in Thailand was not all sunshine and cocktails. Michelle said it was HOT like "hottest summer on record" hot. Even Thai locals were saying it was too hot! Most of the show was filmed at the Four Seasons Koh Samui and Anantara resorts. Despite the heat Michelle said creator Mike White made it a "playground" for the actors. He even arranged for a traditional Thai Spirit House blessing at the hotel for the cast and crew which Michelle called "quite emotional" and "really beautiful."
While the characters on "White Lotus" are always dressed in amazing outfits Michelle said in real life on set it was a different story. "In real life we would be in T-shirts greasy hair tied back sweating" she laughed. By the end of filming everyone just wanted to "burn their clothes."
Michelle Monaghan: Beyond White Lotus - Meditation Baking and Iowa Roots
Michelle Monaghan is more than just Jaclyn in "The White Lotus." She is a busy mom a wife and a down-to-earth person. She has a meditation practice she has been doing for years. She loves to bake especially banana and pumpkin bread which she shares with her neighbors. And she goes back to her family's farm in Iowa every summer enjoying simple things like "drinking beer outside playing cornhole lightning bugs s’mores." She even taught her daughter to drive in her small Iowa hometown with "not even a stoplight." Sounds like a pretty balanced life even with all the Hollywood and "White Lotus" craziness!
Key Facts About Michelle Monaghan & White Lotus Season 3:
- Michelle Monaghan stars as Jaclyn in "The White Lotus" Season 3 on HBO Max.
- Her character Jaclyn is a famous actress on vacation with two childhood friends.
- Jaclyn's storyline involves betraying her friend and cheating on her husband.
- Michelle lived with Parker Posey during filming in Thailand and they became close.
- Filming in Thailand was hot but the cast bonded and explored the country together.
- Themes of female friendship aging in Hollywood and toxic positivity are explored in Season 3.
- Michelle has a meditation practice enjoys baking and loves going back to her Iowa roots with her family.