HBO’sThe White Lotusjust returned for its third season, and it already promises plenty of unhinged chaos. The show once again stars an ensemble of excellent performers, includingCarrie Coon,Parker Posey,Jason Isaacs, andWalton Goggins, many of which will undoubtedly steal the focus and become audience favorites before the season is over.
Indeed,The White Lotushas become such a successful show thanks to its incredible ensemble of actors, who often deliver career-best work thanks toMike White’s witty, biting, and demented screenplays. Throughout the show’s two previous seasons, many actors left a strong impression on audiences thanks to their unforgettable work.This list will rank the best performances inThe White Lotusbased on the actor’s portrayal, the character’s journey, and the reception from the industry.
The White Lotus
10Michael Imperioli
As Dominic Di Grasso in Season 2
Emmy winnerMichael Imperioliappears inThe White LotusSeason 2 as Dominic Di Grasso, a Hollywood producer and sex addict traveling with his father and son to reconnect with their Sicilian roots. Imperioli brings his gravitas to a role that is basicallythe straight man in a season filled with wackier and more exuberant characters.
Imperioli’s task isn’t easy. He lacks the big, wild moments that other actors get and is instead a quieter and subtler presence in the narrative, especially toward the last episodes. However, the actor is more than capable of handling the challenge, delivering one of the show’s most impactful performances while keeping Dominic a mostly introspective figure.
9Steve Zahn
As Mark Mossbacher in Season 1
The underratedSteve Zahnsteals every scene he’s in in Season 1 ofThe White Lotus. The actor plays Mark Mossbacher, the husband of the powerful CEO Nicole (Connie Britton), who experiences a health scare during a family vacation with his family.
Zahn is in his comfort zone as Mark. However, both the actor and Mike White are unafraid to test the limits of said zone, pushing Mark’s story into increasingly wilder territory without ever reaching the same lunacy of other characters. The result isa performance that is both familiar but not necessarily expected, a showcase for an actor who doesn’t often get to show the true extent of his abilities.
8Simona Tabasco
As Lucia Greco in Season 2
One of the main themes of Season 2 ofThe White Lotusis the relationship between sex and intimacy and how transactional it can become, and Lucia (Simona Tabasco) is one of the main characters that represents it. Lucia convinces her best friend, Mia (Beatrice Grannò), to join her as a sex worker catering to the wealthy clients of the hotel.
White takes a refreshingly open and non-judgemental approach to sex work, which means Tabasco can play the full range of Lucia’s personality while avoiding dated clichés. Indeed, Lucia isone of the season’s most likable and effervescent characters, mingling with multiple characters while remaining engaging enough for audiences to root for her. Tabasco is a true revelation in the role, making Luciacompelling and complicated without reducing her to a mere idea. In the end,Lucia and Mia are the true winners of the season, and audiences couldn’t be happier for them.
7Theo James
As Cameron Sullivan in Season 2
Mike White loves to have a rich, jerk character in every season, but the best so far has undoubtedly beenTheo James' Cameron Sullivan. Confident, arrogant, and sexually aggressive, Cameron is Daphne’s (Meghann Fahy) seemingly doting husband who hides many secrets from her, constantly engaging in affairs and harboring a long-standing rivalry with his supposed friend, Ethan (Will Sharpe).
Playing a stereotypical jerk might sound easy, but James' brilliance lies in not reducing Cameron to such a simplistic idea. As the season progresses, Cameron’s edges come to light—he isn’t necessarily “deep,” but he hides far more complexities than first meets the eye. Cameron isn’t quite a villain, but he is one of the season’s biggest antagonists, yet he never actually feels like one.James is endlessly appealing yet equally off-puttingin the role, creating a predator that’s impossible to look away from.
6Natasha Rothwell
As Belinda Lindsey in Seasons 1 and 3
Natasha Rothwell’s Belinda is the beating heart ofThe White LotusSeason 1. The resort’s well-meaning and hard-working spa manager, Belinda is the audience surrogate in this world of loose morals, endless wealth, and disregard for others' feelings. As the season progresses, Belinda becomes certain thatJennifer Coolidge’s Tanya might invest in her wellness center, but she eventually becomes collateral damage in the games these people play.
Like Imperioli in Season 2, Rothwell has the task of being the straight woman to the otherwise intense and out-of-control cast. However,she also needs to be the moral center of the season, a task that can very easily be thankless. Yet, the actress navigates it cooly and capably, creatinga kind and effortlessly likable character without ever reducing Belinda to her simplest form. Belinda is ambitious, gentle, and just as capable of doing the irresponsible antics of the guests; she chooses not to, and that’s where her real strength lies.Belinda is back for Season 3 ofThe White Lotus, meaning her character’s journey is far from over.
5Aubrey Plaza
As Harper Spiller in Season 2
In many ways, Harper Spiller is the perfect role forAubrey Plaza. The hyper-fixated, stoic, sarcastic, and distrustful Harper spends most of her time in The White Lotus playing a game of catch-up with her husband’s condescending friends and her husband himself.Harper is arguably Season 2’s most relatable character, a quasi-audience surrogate who can see through the other guests' bull but can’t help but fall for their games, too.
Although the role might seem likean extension of Plaza’s famous persona, it’s also a subversion of it. As the season progresses, Harper’s facade fades to reveal someone as manipulative as the others with a not-so-subtle superiority complex. Plaza is outstanding in the role,embracing the character’s sharper and more seductive qualitiesto create a riveting figure that effortlessly becomes one of Season 2’s most memorable. She’s also shifting and quite complicated, one of Mike White’s most elusive creations and a perfect role for the equally fascinating Plaza.
4Sabrina Impacciatore
As Valentina in Season 2
The managers of the White Lotuses are always dealing with severe mental distress that pushes them to the edge. However, Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore) is far better at handling it than her Hawaiian counterpart. Valentina is the rigid, uncompromising, and confrontational manager of the White Lotus Sicily, an unfriendly woman who has trouble stepping out of her comfort zone and letting others in.
Valentina is a challenging role to play without making her seem like a cardboard cutout. Luckily, Impacciatore knocks it out of the park witha layered performance that is as hilarious as it is touching. Beneath her steely surface lies a vulnerable and sensitive woman, and Impacciatore makes that side noticeable from her first appearance. Yes, she’s direct and funny but also relatable and quite engrossing,an all-too-human character existing in a world often populated by extremes.
3Murray Bartlett
As Armond in Season 1
Armond might just bethe most unhinged character inThe White Lotus, and that’s saying something. The manager of the Hawaii hotel, Armond is a recovering addict dancing on the edge, always one step away from succumbing to his demons. As he enters into an ongoing rivalry with the wealthy guest Shane (Jake Lacy), Armond’s grip on sanity becomes more tenuous.
The familiar but criminally underrated Murray Bartlet rightfully won the Emmy for his portrayal of Armond. The character is the perfect distillation ofThe White Lotus' over-the-top, all-or-nothing, balls-to-the-wall approach,a ticking time bomb who is always seconds away from blowing up. Bartlett perfectly embodies Armond’s manic energy, blending it with a coat of faux confidence that makes him weirdly irresistible yet decidedly unsettling. It’s an incredible performance from an actor who spent far too long without a meaty role to showcase his vast talent.
2Meghann Fahy
As Daphne Sullivan in Season 2
The brilliant Meghann Fahy wasthe standout performer ofThe White Lotusseason 2. As Daphne Sullivan, Fahy has the tough cast of playing arguably the most complicated yet alluring character in the show’s sophomore season. At first, she comes across as just another vapid wife skillfully overlooking her husband’s infidelities and flaws. However, it soon becomes apparent she is more in control than it seems—in fact, she might be the one in charge.
Fahy is spectacular as Daphne, slowly revealing the layers of a character playing a game not many are aware even exists. Every word she says, every smile she draws, and every look she gives is calculated and precise. The few moments where Daphne allows herself to be vulnerable area masterwork on Fahy’s part, her face showing a thousand different expressions. Daphne is one of White’s best creations, and Fahy is the perfect actress to bring her to life. She is imperfect but very real and lived-in; Coolidge might have the big, showy scene, butit’sFahy who dominatesThe White LotusSeason 2.
1Jennifer Coolidge
As Tanya McQuoid in Seasons 1 and 2
Jennifer Coolidge reached the apex of her long careerwith her defining performance as the needy and insecure Tanya McQuoid inThe White Lotus. The actress appears in the first two seasons, playing the most central and memorable character in both andbecoming the show’s breakout figure. For her work, Coolidge won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two SAG Awards, and two Critics Choice Awards.
Tanya is a fascinating character that can be very easily misunderstood. Flawed and broken but endlessly compelling and incredibly engaging, Tanya isa brilliant creation beautifully brought to life by Coolidge. The role is similar to the persona Coolidge has created without being a carbon copy: she’sabsurd, delightful, frustrating, clumsy, and utterly unforgettable. Coolidge milks every drop from this once-in-a-lifetime role, creating a tragically hilarious character who ranks as one of the best in her career and the best inThe White Lotus. In her words, all we can say is “mother, mother, mother.”
