The White Lotus, HBO’s Emmy-winning, critically-acclaimed, limited anthology series is coming back for a second season, this time set in picturesque Sicily, Italy.
Like the first season, which took place in the tropical setting of Hawaii—by design, since it was filmed in the pre-vaccine days of the pandemic—the upcoming season will likewise feature the fictional resort chain that also serves as the title of the series.
Also like the first season, the sophomore effort will involve one of the staff or guests departing the grounds of the resort in a body bag. In real life, this would constitute an unmitigated public relations nightmare, so it will remain to be seen whether this will be the second and final season,or if series creator, writer, and producer Mike White has some more tricks up his sleeve. (In the opinion of this writer, Mike White always has more tricks up his sleeve.)
With season two of The White Lotus rapidly approaching, here’s everything we know so far.
What is the release date for The White Lotus season two, and how many episodes are there?
Season two of The White Lotus will premiere on HBO on Oct. 30, and will also be available to stream on HBO Max with new episodes released weekly, every Sunday night through Dec. 11. Unlike the first season, which boasted six episodes, season two will feature seven episodes, titled, “Ciao,” “Italian Dream,” “Bull Elephants,” “In the Sandbox,” “That’s Amore,” “Abductions,” and “Byg.”
Who is in the cast of The White Lotus season two?
Because the upcoming season is set in a new location with a new cast, the only returning cast members are Jennifer Coolidge, who snagged a well-deserved Emmy for her portrayal of the wacky, pampered Tanya McQuoid, elevating her status from underutilized character actress to household name, and Jon Gries (Napoleon Dynamite), who played her love interest Greg. In the events that have transpired since the first season, Tanya has since married Greg and now sports the newly hyphenated last name, McQuoid-Hunt.
The second season also features a roster of familiar faces and newcomers. Aubrey Plaza stars as Harper Spiller, a woman on vacation with her husband, Ethan (Will Sharpe), who has just sold his company for a large sum of money. The couple, much to Harper’s obvious dismay, have been invited on the trip by Ethan’s rich new friends, Cameron and Daphne Babcock (Theo James and Meghann Fahy), though, it does not seem as though there is any love lost from either parties vying for Ethan’s attention.
Veteran character actor F. Murray Abraham (Mythic Quest, Moon Knight) stars as Bert Di Grasso, a womanizing octogenarian on vacation with his equally womanizing son (Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos) and grandson, Albie Di Grasso (Adam DiMarco), a recent college graduate.
Rounding out the cast is Italian actress and comedian Sabrina Impacciatore as Valentina, the manager of the White Lotus in Sicily; Tom Hollander as Quentin, an English expat traveling with his friends and nephew; Haley Lu Richardson as Portia, Tanya’s young assistant; and Beatrice Grannò and Simona Tabasco as two attractive local girls who will inevitably throw a wrench into things with sex and drugs.
If season one was any indication, fans are in for a real treat when The White Lotus returns on Oct. 30.
