The White Lotus star Sam Nivola has opened up about shooting a shocking sex scene in the sixth episode of season three.
READ MORE: How Leslie Bibb helped partner Sam Rockwell nail his “last minute” monologue in ‘The White Lotus’
Nivola plays Lochlan Ratliff in the HBO show, the youngest of three siblings from South Carolina who has a somewhat twisted relationship with his hyper-masculine older brother Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger).
The pair set the internet alight last week when they shared an incestuous kiss after the full moon party – but caused an even bigger meltdown during Monday’s (March 24) episode, when flashbacks to that night revealed that Lochlan masturbated his brother whilst having sex with Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon).
Speaking to Variety about shooting that scene, Nivola said: “I was totally nervous. I’m a very anxious person, so I’m always nervous, especially on a big job like that.
“Doing the sex scene was nerve-racking, and we were on a boat, and I get seasick, so that was fucking stressful. The actual scene itself went smoothly. [Showrunner] Mike White was sort of calming about it, and I really trusted Patrick and Charlotte.”
He continued: “We all just trusted each other, and that dynamic worked well. In the scene, Patrick and I are brothers, with this girl who we just met like the day before. It was very weird kissing Patrick because he’s a really good friend of mine. And, you know, I’m straight, he’s straight. It’s already weird.
“It would have been easier if that was the first time we were meeting. Weirdly, it was easier to do things with Charlotte because there were no stakes. It’s just this person I’ve just met. But Patrick was already like a brother to me. It felt sort of fucked up.”
When asked about the dynamic between the brothers in the show, and whether Lochlan is sexually attracted to Saxon, Nivola said: “I think it’s something else. I think it comes from a sense of insecurity. He really looks up to both of his siblings, not from the point of view of a physical attraction.
“It’s more curiosity, and trying to figure out which kind of person he is going to become. He tries to connect with him in whatever way he can. I think Lochlan is a people pleaser, who will try to get people to like him by any means necessary.”
He continued: “Looking at Saxon while he’s jerking off is not a sexual thing – it’s more that he’s studying him: ‘Who is this guy? How can I get him to like me? How can I become more like him?’
“What he learns over the first few episodes is that Saxon is the sex guy. His primary motive in life is to make money and get laid. So, the thing on the boat is Lochlan’s tragically misguided attempt at being like, ‘So, you’re the sex guy. Let’s do something in that realm and try to connect in some way.’ It’s obviously a big swing and a miss.”
The third season of The White Lotus received a four-star review from NME, with Nick Levine writing: “A little sweetness definitely helps to balance out the prevailing saltiness. As the season progresses, the sneaky intricacy of White’s plotting begins to yield surreal, shocking and genuinely hilarious moments.
“No one can write a scene where one character pretends not to remember another quite as exquisitely as White. Tanya may be gone, but this transgressive soap opera remains unique and completely jaw-dropping.”
The White Lotus is currently streaming on Sky Atlantic and NOW, with new episodes dropping weekly.