'I had this amazing adventure': Aimee Lou Wood, Michelle Monaghan and Natasha Rothwell on The White Lotus
Relocating to a luxurious hotel in Thailand for six months sounds like a job only conceivable through a dream or a stroke of good fortune.
Season three of The White Lotus awarded that luxury to its cast and crew which, this time around, includes Sex Education's Aimee Lou Wood, The Fallout's Walton Goggins and Gen V star Patrick Schwarzenegger among others.
Mission: Impossible star Michelle Monaghan plays Jaclyn on the show, a woman on a "girls' trip" consumed with the competing power dynamic between the group.
Speaking to Sky News, Monaghan called her time on the series - filmed in Thailand - a "once in a lifetime opportunity".
"[My family] came over and we got to have adventures, and it was just a very, very special time. I've been doing this for 25 years and this kind of takes the cake.
"They are their own little adventurers themselves, and they love the water so obviously, we're in Thailand, we all went and got our diving certificates. We spent a lot of time diving together and we really bonded in new and different ways."
Bafta winner Aimee Lou Wood's experience differed slightly.
Adjusting to a new country alone during, what she says, felt like a big moment of change in her life moving flat and turning thirty.
"It was obviously incredible. But yeah, I was really overwhelmed. I was so overwhelmed and I kind of remained overwhelmed.
"I had this amazing adventure, but I missed home. But then when I was at home, I really missed the adventure. And I also missed my friends that I've made in The White Lotus because they did become home."
The actress says she went straight out to meet her friends the moment she returned to the UK after filming.
"I was crying at the beautiful London litter. I was like 'It's just the most gorgeous place, London'. And it was probably me crying at a bin, but it was just home."
Television show boosts tourism
Similar to Emily In Paris, The White Lotus has become somewhat of a featured advert for each of the Four Seasons hotels, where filming takes place, as well as the surrounding area.
If season three follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, which were set in Hawaii and Sicily, the number of visitors to Thailand is expected to grow by 20% thanks to television tourism.
HBO partnered with the Tourism Authority of Thailand during production, filming in and around the Four Seasons Koh Samui and the neighbouring Phuket and Bangkok.
Who's in The White Lotus?
The latest season of the hit show sees series one alumna Natasha Rothwell return with a whole new cast: Jason Isaacs, Walton Goggins, Aimee Lou Wood, Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sam Nivola and Parker Posey.
Rothwell reprises her role as Belinda Lindsey from season one - the spa manager eager to create her own business.
The American actress received a call from the show's creator Mike White about the possibility of returning for another season and says she was in disbelief when he officially asked her to return.
"He [Mike White] hadn't put pen to paper yet, so... I didn't have any guarantee of a part. And then when he followed up again after the scripts were written, then I knew it was real.
"My life. It's ridiculous. Like if I went back in a time machine and I told that little, you know, neurotic girl in Miss Mandy O'Neill's [theatre] class being like, 'You're going to travel the world, doing your art in your craft'."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
5 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Aimee Lou Wood and Walton Goggins on ‘ridiculous' feud rumours
The White Lotus co-stars Aimee Lou Wood and Walton Goggins have both denied rumours that either of them are in a feud as 'ridiculous'. There has been speculation that the two co-stars had drifted apart after being on the HBO show, which follows the lives of guests and staff at a luxury resort as dark secrets are revealed and tensions rise over the course of the holiday. Advertisement The third series sees the positive Chelsea, played by British actress Wood, 31, try to keep her mysterious older boyfriend, Rick, played by 53-year-old US actor Goggins, calm in Thailand. Walton Goggins. (Ian West/PA) Following the 2025 series, Goggins appeared to step away from his fellow co-stars, and unfollow Greater Manchester-born Wood on Instagram. They both addressed the swirling rumours during a joint interview for US publication Variety, which was published on Wednesday. Goggins said: 'There is no feud. I adore, I love this woman (Aimee) madly, and she is so important to me.' Advertisement He added that 'she's special', and explained he had not addressed the reports before as he did not want to talk about Wood when she was not there. 'I think it's such a comment on where we're at culturally. Why is everyone obsessing over Instagram? That is irrelevant. We don't give a shite about Instagram,' Wood said. Goggins said that when he finished The White Lotus he 'needed to just back away from everyone', as it is his 'process' when filming a project ends. 'It's all so ridiculous,' he said. Advertisement 'It's just a part of me just saying goodbye to this character so that now Aimee and I will be friends for f****** ever.' Wood previously criticised a Saturday Night Live sketch, with an cast member impersonating her with exaggerated prosthetic teeth, calling it 'mean and unfunny' on Instagram. She told Variety that it 'felt misogynistic. It felt like the punchline was a woman's appearance, which is just not funny. It's not cool'. Goggins shared the same sketch online and praised Jon Hamm for playing a version of his character, before deleting the Instagram post, ahead of hosting SNL> Advertisement He said he was 'gonna say it (something) to your face', and added: 'I don't use social media in any way, and I'm not a mean guy.' SNL apologised for the April sketch, according to Wood, and the comedian and cast member who impersonated her, Sarah Sherman, sent her flowers to apologise. Wood is also known for Netflix teen show Sex Education, BBC comedy Daddy Issues and the 2022 drama film Living with Bill Nighy. Goggins has been in Western series Justified, post-apocalyptic series Fallout, and drama Sons Of Anarchy. Advertisement He has had two Emmy nods, while Wood has won a TV Bafta for Sex Education and been given a Rising Star Bafta nomination.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
I starred in one of the nineties' biggest TV shows but ditched fame for a completely different job - I've been through hell but I don't regret it
This Life hit our screens in 1996 on BBC Two and went on to become a huge fan favourite. The TV drama, created by Amy Jenkins, went on to have two series which broadcast between 996 and 1997. It followed the lives of five law graduates trying to navigate their lives after university, played by Amita Dhiri, Jack Davenport, Andrew Lincoln, Jason Hughes and Daniela Nardini. Some of the star-studded cast decided to stick with their acting, but Daniela ended up doing something totally different. Scottish actress Daniela played Anna Forbes in the hit show and went on to receive a BAFTA for Best Actress in 1998. She reprised her role for the TV movie This Life +10 in 2006 to celebrate the show's 10 year anniversary. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. After This Life, Daniela landed roles in the likes of Quite Ugly One Morning, Sirens, Lewis, Vera and Waterloo Road. But nowadays she is doing something very different. Daniela is now a qualified and practicing psychotherapist. She also has her own CBT practice in Glasgow, Scotland. Her profile on Psychology Today reads: 'I have worked as an actress for over 35 years. 'This has been an invaluable education for me to study what it is to be human and how we can all suffer at times and feel misunderstood and lonely. 'I myself have struggled at times. 'My practice involves helping you gain insight, clarity and believe it or not humour at times. 'I don't shock easily so I won't judge.' It adds: 'I can help firstly by listening to you. 'Often we feel unheard or feel shame because we are struggling. 'I am here to listen without judgement and to offer you compassion and kindness. 'Together we can work out a plan that will help you feel more in control and able to make the changes you want to happen as well as working at your own pace. ' Her types of therapy include acceptance and commitment, cognitive behavioural, compassion focused, creative therapy, person-centered and positive psychology. Daniela's top specialties include depression, anxiety and behavioural issues, and has expertise in addiction, cancer, divorce, family conflict and parenting. The actress can use the tough times in her life to resonate with others after losing her father in 2015, followed by a divorce and a cancer diagnosis in 2018. Back in 2020 Daniela opened up to us about the 'worst five years of her life'. She said: 'I went through a very dark period. 'Sometimes I wonder if it was all the emotional stuff I was going through that caused my cancer. 'A couple of years down the road, I now feel as if I've emerged stronger and a better person really. 'Anna would be proud.' Speaking about This Life, she added: 'I love that people still enjoy the series. 'But This Life feels like another life now. It was very exciting and intoxicating at the time. 'We all got quite famous through it, quickly, which was a shock and a little bit terrifying. 'I don't miss any of it though. 'I'm glad I experienced it but I don't crave it. What I do crave is good work. It's quite hard to find work that excites you and speaks to you.
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
Tom Cruise enters Guinness Book of Records for 'death-defying' stunt
Tom Cruise has once again raised the bar for action stunts, this time by setting a new Guinness World Record for the most burning parachute jumps by an individual. The Mission: Impossible star performed 16 such death-defying leaps during filming of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth chapter in the high-octane franchise. Guinness World Records made the announcement on Thursday, praising Cruise's dedication to authenticity and fearlessness. 'Tom doesn't just play action heroes – he is an action hero!' said Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records. 'His absolute focus on pushing the boundaries of what a leading man can do is unmatched. It's an honour to recognise his utter fearlessness with this new title.' In the film's dramatic climax, Cruise's character Ethan Hunt faces off against his nemesis Gabriel, portrayed by Esai Morales, high in the skies. The scene culminates with Hunt jumping from a burning plane. After deploying his parachute, the fabric ignites and disintegrates, forcing him to cut away the charred chute and deploy a backup. Cruise, who is a licensed skydiver, executed the stunt 16 times. Each jump involved leaping out of a helicopter while strapped to a parachute soaked in fuel and set ablaze. According to Guinness, no other actor or stunt performer has come close to matching that number of fiery parachute drops. Cruise is certainly willing to push the limit. At one point during filming, director Christopher McQuarrie shared a terrifying moment when he feared Cruise had passed out while filming a death-defying stunt on the wing of a plane. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'There was a moment – more than one moment – where Tom had pushed himself to the point that he was so physically exhausted he couldn't get back up off the wing,' he revealed during a Rendezvous event at Cannes Film Festival, attended by Metro. More Trending 'He was lying on the wing of the plane, his arms are hanging over the front of the wing. We could not tell if he was conscious or not,' he continued. 'We also knew that unless Tom did this [gestures], it was expressly agreed he was not in trouble and we could not cut – you can't do this when you're unconscious, so we're waiting to see if there's any indication Tom is okay, and we're waiting to see this sign and Tom is laying on the wing of the plane.' Whether you like Cruise and his attention-grabbing stunts or not, it's easy to agree that this World Record is well-earned. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Mission: Impossible suffers crushing box office defeat to hit Disney remake MORE: Top Gun producer reveals status of highly anticipated Tom Cruise sequel MORE: It's been 20 years since Tom Cruise jumped on Oprah's sofa and it's still just as bizarre
