Natasha Rothwell Had Her 'Passport Ready' forWhite LotusSeason 3 After Just 2 Conversations with Mike White (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Natasha Rothwell (left) and Mike White at “The White Lotus” Season 3 Los Angeles premiere on Feb. 10, 2025.Photo:Michael Buckner/Getty

Michael Buckner/Getty

There wasn’t much of a conversation betweenMike WhiteandNatasha Rothwellaboutseason 3 ofThe White Lotus— all she knew was she was saying “yes” no matter what.“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I got to do twice,” Rothwell, 44, tells PEOPLE of reprising her role as spa manager Belinda in the highly-anticipated third installment of the cult favorite series.“I feel really lucky.“Rothwell, who was in season 1 of the HBO series but not season 2, says she “was floored” when she learned that White was thinking of asking her back.“It happened in two parts. Mike and I had dinner when he was in town for the Emmys. He just casually mentioned it. He’s like, ‘I’m thinking about Belinda for season 3,'” she recalls.“I told him, ‘Say less, I’ll come in, and just be background, whatever you want me to do.'“Natasha Rothwel as Belinda l in ‘The White Lotus’ season 3.Fabio Lovino/HBOAt that point, he was stillfilming the second season in Sicily. “After he wrapped and got out of the edit, he hit me up again. He was like, ‘Now, Belinda’s back.'““I was just like, “Yeah, let me get my passport ready.” I don’t know where we’re going, but I’m there,” she recalls.Rothwell says she’s “excited for the world to get to know more about Belinda” in the upcoming season. “It’s really cool.“The two experiences of filming season 1 and season 3 also “couldn’t be more different,” she says.“We shot the first one during COVID — pre-vaccination. We couldn’t even leave the resort. Cut to season 3, I think we moved four times to different [resorts],” she shares.“When people watchThe White Lotus this season, it’sa compilation of a bunch of amazing places we stayed,” Rothwell continues. “It’s just more expansive. It’s really cool to see the show grow in that way.Natasha Rothwell at the L.A. premiere of “The White Lotus” season 3 on February 10, 2025.Steve Granitz/FilmMagicThe actress previously told PEOPLE that settling back into the role was a little bit of a challenge at first, but she got back into the swing of things thanks to advice from one of her costars.“Carrie Coongave me the best descriptor. She’s like, ‘It’s like putting on a wet bathing suit.’ You know it fits. You know it fits. And you know, once you get in the water, it’s going to feel wonderful. But it’s also just a little… You’re just like, ‘Wait a minute, does the arm go here? Okay.’ And then you jump in.“She also admitted to having “imposter syndrome” in the lead-up to “sharing the screen” with some of her costars. “These are people that I idolized growing up.““Carrie was actually the one who brought me back to Earth, because she was just like, ‘We’re all nervous to meet you because you were season one. You’re, like, the OG.'“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Season 3 ofThe White Lotuspremieres Sunday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on Max.

There wasn’t much of a conversation betweenMike WhiteandNatasha Rothwellaboutseason 3 ofThe White Lotus— all she knew was she was saying “yes” no matter what.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I got to do twice,” Rothwell, 44, tells PEOPLE of reprising her role as spa manager Belinda in the highly-anticipated third installment of the cult favorite series.“I feel really lucky.”

Rothwell, who was in season 1 of the HBO series but not season 2, says she “was floored” when she learned that White was thinking of asking her back.

“It happened in two parts. Mike and I had dinner when he was in town for the Emmys. He just casually mentioned it. He’s like, ‘I’m thinking about Belinda for season 3,'” she recalls.

“I told him, ‘Say less, I’ll come in, and just be background, whatever you want me to do.'”

Natasha Rothwel as Belinda l in ‘The White Lotus’ season 3.Fabio Lovino/HBO

Fabio Lovino/HBO

At that point, he was stillfilming the second season in Sicily. “After he wrapped and got out of the edit, he hit me up again. He was like, ‘Now, Belinda’s back.'”

“I was just like, “Yeah, let me get my passport ready.” I don’t know where we’re going, but I’m there,” she recalls.

Rothwell says she’s “excited for the world to get to know more about Belinda” in the upcoming season. “It’s really cool.”

The two experiences of filming season 1 and season 3 also “couldn’t be more different,” she says.

“We shot the first one during COVID — pre-vaccination. We couldn’t even leave the resort. Cut to season 3, I think we moved four times to different [resorts],” she shares.

“When people watchThe White Lotus this season, it’sa compilation of a bunch of amazing places we stayed,” Rothwell continues. “It’s just more expansive. It’s really cool to see the show grow in that way.

Natasha Rothwell at the L.A. premiere of “The White Lotus” season 3 on February 10, 2025.Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

The actress previously told PEOPLE that settling back into the role was a little bit of a challenge at first, but she got back into the swing of things thanks to advice from one of her costars.

“Carrie Coongave me the best descriptor. She’s like, ‘It’s like putting on a wet bathing suit.’ You know it fits. You know it fits. And you know, once you get in the water, it’s going to feel wonderful. But it’s also just a little… You’re just like, ‘Wait a minute, does the arm go here? Okay.’ And then you jump in.”

She also admitted to having “imposter syndrome” in the lead-up to “sharing the screen” with some of her costars. “These are people that I idolized growing up.”

“Carrie was actually the one who brought me back to Earth, because she was just like, ‘We’re all nervous to meet you because you were season one. You’re, like, the OG.'”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Season 3 ofThe White Lotuspremieres Sunday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on Max.

source: people.com