The White Lotus season 3 is already steaming towards the halfway point, and the tension has been building. In the most recent episode, the grumpy and emotionally-repressed Rick finally cracked a smile, and businessman Timothy Ratliff swapped panicked phone calls for sleeping pills. The monkey motifs are ramping up, too, giving credence to an ever-popular theory that they’re the rogue masterminds behind the killing spree. Plus, evil Greg is back with his own Glinda-inspired name tweak: Gary. Subtle! But not quite enough to stop Belinda from recognising his very-much-the-same face.
But there’s one character return that The White Lotus fans have been gunning for since the third season kicked off, and that is – of course – Tanya McQuoid. Played by Jennifer Coolidge, Tanya quickly became a fan favourite during seasons one and two, only to be killed off after slipping from a yacht. A tragic and boujie way to go. However, many have been holding onto hope that Jennifer Coolidge will return to the show in some capacity during the latest stint in Thailand.
During an interview with Forbes, the actress finally addressed the ongoing rumours that her character might, somehow, find herself back in the world of The White Lotus. And if you too have had your fingers crossed, brace yourself. She told the publication: “Look, it’s not like I haven’t wished or whatever, but it isn’t happening. It doesn’t matter. They don’t need me. Mike White can tell a story better than anybody.”
Jennifer did, however, elaborate that she’s predicting ‘something’s going to go horribly wrong’. Given the outcome of the last two seasons, it’s a safe bet to assume that things are going to get a little creaky for the characters – particularly as next week we’ll see a lot of the guests on Greg – sorry, Gary’s – boat.
Good luck to ’em.
The White Lotus returns on Monday with the fourth episode airing on Sky and streaming service NOW.