Having created one of the most unique anthology series of all time in The White Lotus, veteran filmmaker Mike White has opened up about the inspiration behind developing the fan-favorite HBO show. In a recent interview, the three-time Primetime Emmy awardee provided insight into how he came up with the acclaimed black comedy drama, revealing that a trip with actress Jennifer Coolidge played a significant part in the show’s creation.
Mike White says trip with Jennifer Coolidge inspired him to create The White Lotus
During his recent appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s show, the veteran filmmaker revealed that observing the Legally Blonde star during a safari trip motivated him to come up with the idea for The White Lotus.
“Jennifer Coolidge and I—we’re friends. And we went on this safari, and it was like two weeks, and we slept in the same bed even. I spent two full weeks with her. It was awesome,” Mike White shared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “She’s so fun. She’s the funniest person. But getting through life is a bit hard [for her]. There’s a lot in the purse. There’s a lot of stuff in her purse.”
White then revealed that Jennifer Coolidge often tends to veer “a little on paranoid. So we’d go out, and she’d be like, ‘Wow, look at those pack of lions!’ And then she’d be like, ‘Do you see how they’re looking at us? I know that look! We got to get out of here! I’m not kidding. We got to get out of here.'”
The School of Rock actor added, “I was like, ‘Whatever I’ve done in my life and I’m here watching her freak out about these lions, I’ve done something right. She’s an original character. She’s amazing, and I just [wanted to] give her a really meaty part that she could really sink her teeth into.” This was one of the experiences that inspired him to conceptualize White Lotus for HBO.
Notably, Jennifer Coolidge is one of the few actors who have appeared in multiple seasons of the Golden Globe-winning series. She played a pivotal role in the first two White Lotus installments. However, her character met an unfortunate end at the end of Season 2.
Meanwhile, Mike White is currently developing Season 4 of the HBO entity, which will take place in France.
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on ComingSoon.net.
