Jason Isaacs got a good whiff of some of his The White Lotus costars while they filmed season three in Thailand.
“We’re doing intimate scenes, and you stink,” Isaacs, 61, said of the conditions on set for the anthology series in an interview with TIME published on January 24. “By the end of each day, we’re just caked in sweat and makeup. You can peel your clothes off with a trowel. It melts your fillings.”
Isaacs acknowledged that he and his costars were blessed to be filming a TV series at a resort in Southeast Asia, but the heat had started to get to them.
“It would be churlish to complain, there are terrible things going on in the world,” he said. “But we’ve all had enough.”
Isaacs wasn’t the only person on set to notice the conditions. Michelle Monaghan noted that the rising heat in Thailand was unlike anything she ever experienced before.
“It’s the hottest I’ve ever felt,” Monaghan, 48, told the outlet. “So we’ve definitely endured a lot.”
Sam Nivola added that the rising temperatures made it “hard to drink or do anything” since it would just make you “feel dehydrated.” Creator Mike White, who had been on location for all three seasons, agreed with the stars of his show, sharing that it was “really f—ing hot” and joked it was a good thing he “got in shape” before filming began.
Production for The White Lotus season 3 kicked off in Thailand in February 2024. When season 3 was officially announced, HBO — who partnered up with the Tourism Authority of Thailand — revealed that the series would film in Koh Samui, Phuket and Bangkok.
The White Lotus follows a group of travelers and resort workers who visit the hotel chain of the same name. In addition to Isaacs, Monaghan and Nivola, the latest installment of the HBO series has a star-studded lineup of fictional guests and employees including Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Sarah Catherine Hook, Patrick Schwarzenegger and more.
Season 1 star Natasha Rothwell was also announced to return to the series. Rothwell, 44, is reprising her role of the spa manager of the Hawaiian resort. Ahead of jetting off to Thailand for filming, the actress gave a teaser of what fans could expect.
“I will say I’ve read all of the scripts, and people are in for a treat,” she said to Entertainment Tonight in December 2023. “It’s bigger than ever. Buckle up.”
The White Lotus premieres on HBO Sunday, February 16 at 9 p.m. ET and will be available to stream via Max.
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