Sam Nivola Says He Is 'Grateful' For Girlfriend Iris Apatow as She Supports Him at The White LotusSeason 3 Premiere (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Iris Apatow and Sam Nivola.Photo:Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Iris Apatowis proving to be a supportive girlfriend!

Apatow joinedSam NivolaatTheWhite Lotusseason 3 premiereon Monday, Feb. 10, where the pair celebrated his role on the hit series. Nivola tells PEOPLE that Apatow has been there for him throughout the process — even visiting him while he filmed in Thailand.

“I brought my girlfriend for a few months, which was amazing,” he gushes. “It was so great to have a taste of home because it was 10,000 miles away from home, and it was so nice of her to sacrifice that time to come be with me and I’m incredibly grateful to her."

“To be young and in love,” the caption read.

Apatow later accompanied Nivola to the premiere afterparty, whereThe Bubbleactress cozied up toThe Perfect Couplealum while keeping warm in his suit jacket.

Iris Apatow and Sam Nivola.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Nivola firsthinted at the relationshipin April, when he shared photos of Apatow with him in Thailand.

“The pookinator is looking absolutely FIRE tonight,” he captioned it, referring to a popular social media couple’s catchphrase.

Patrick SchwarzeneggerandSarah Catherine Hook, who play Nivola’s on-screen siblings, seemingly joined him and Apatow on a boat day, with photos showing them laughing and walking around a beach.

At the premiere, Nivola opened up about the time he spent in Thailand, telling PEOPLE he didn’t expect for it to feel like he was on a luxury vacation.

“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” he says. “The amount of money in Asia in general, I’d never been to Asia before, and it’s just amazing. It’s astounding. And those hotels are just the nicest buildings I’ve ever been in and it has ruined my standards. Any other hotel just pales in comparison to those Four Seasons.”

Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

He also reveals he got more into “mindfulness and meditation” after experiencing Thai culture, which he plans to bring into his day-to-day life.

“Buddhist practices are so important to staying sane,” Nivola explains. “I think they really have it figured out over there and I want to do more. I want to do more of that, for sure.”

He also says that he became addicted to “the cold plunge,” which he did daily due to the often 110-degree weather.

“All these hotels had these cold ice baths and it was just the best thing,” he shares. “After you do a workout, you have a f—ing smoothie and then you do a cold plunge and it’s so hot outside that it doesn’t even feel that cold and you just feel so refreshed and good and it was amazing.”

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

source: people.com