The White Lotus season three: from Jason Isaacs to Aimee Lou Wood, who plays who in the hit show?

Famous for its intertwining storylines, dark humour and star-studded ensemble casts, The White Lotus has won fan and critical praise since debuting in 2021, picking up Emmys and Golden Globes along the way. Set to follow the stays of guests at a luxury resort in Thailand, its long-awaited third series arrives on Sky Atlantic on February 17, introducing a new set of complex characters and the psychological dysfunctions they check in with.

Keep reading for a who’s who of the new cast and characters. Unlike the rest of the cast, Rothwell isn’t a new addition to The White Lotus universe – she appeared in the first series, set in Hawaii, as spa manager Belinda. When we last saw her, she was betting on Jennifer Coolidge’s beloved character, Tanya, to help her make her dreams of owning her own wellness company come true (Tanya ultimately let her down, though).

Isaacs plays wealthy businessman Timothy, who is holidaying at the resort with his wife Victoria and children Saxon, Piper and Lochlan. Timothy features prominently in the trailer for the series. In one scene he can be seen handling a gun, while in another he alludes that he’s facing financial trouble and could even be going to prison. Isaacs himself is best known for playing villains – whether Captain Hook in 2003’s Peter Pan or Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film franchise – but he started out in TV and on stage. Over the years, he’s amassed a CV that includes playing Colonel William Tavington in The Patriot, Michael D. Steele in Black Hawk Down, and Georgy Zhukov in The Death of Stalin.

Dazed and Confused’s Parker Posey plays a privileged, out-of-touch Victoria: the wife of Timothy. Posey herself is an American actor. Born in Baltimore, she earned the monikor ‘Queen of the Indies’ for appearing in a slew of successful indie films during the 90s, including Dazed and Confused, The Doom Generation and The Daytrippers. However, her CV also includes Hollywood blockbuster films such as Beau Is Afraid, Scream 3 and the HBO series The Staircase opposite Colin Firth.

Star of 2001 Oscar winner The Accountant and post-apocolyptic drama Fallout, Goggins plays Rick, described as a “rugged man with a chip on his shoulder”. Tensions between Rick and fellow alpha male Timothy brew in the show’s trailer, which also sees Rick trying to navigate his relationship with a much younger Chelsea. Goggins’ rise to Hollywood fame has been slow and steady. Born in 1971, he’s been appearing in shows and films for decades, including Lincoln, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight and (more recently) the TV series Fallout, for which he was nominated for multiple Emmy Awards.

Chelsea is Rick’s romantic partner: perpetually cheerful, she seems to have little awareness of Rick’s true motives for being at the White Lotus. She is played by Sex Education favourite and BAFTA winner Aimee Lou Wood: born in Stockport, she broke through in the Netflix series, but has since gone onto appear in BBC Three show Daddy Issues, Bill Nighy film Living and on-stage as Sally Bowles in the production of Cabaret at the Kit-Kat Club.

A Hollywood actor, who’s grown apart from her two childhood best friends. This trip is a chance for them all to reconnect, though it doesn’t quite go as planned. Monaghan, who plays Jaclyn, has appeared in shows like True Detective, the Mission: Impossible films and the 2022 miniseries Echoes. Coon herself began her career in regional theatre before moving to Broadway. After getting a Tony Award nomination for her work in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, she made her film debut in 2014’s Gone Girl, but has since appeared in 2017 film The Post, 2018’s Widows, Avengers: Infinity War and the Ghostbusters film remakes.

Bibb is a model turned actor. She started her career at the age of 16 when she won a competition to find the next big model, and turned to acting later: in 1996, at the age of 23. Her first big role was in 1997 TV show The Big Easy, which she’s followed up with appearances in the MCU as Christine Everhart in the Iron Man films, and in 2024 Apple TV+ series Palm Royale. Piper is the middle child of the Ratliff clan: quiet and studious, she’s writing a paper on Buddhism which is the reason the family are visiting Thailand. She’s also more liberal than her decidedly right-wing family. Hook, who plays her, is an American actor who was born in Alabama. Her first big role was in 2022 Netflix teen fantasy series First Kill, in which she plays a vampire, which she followed up with a starring role in the Prime Video remake of Cruel Intentions.

Lochlan is the youngest Ratliff child. Quiet and sensitive, he’s increasingly coming under the sway of his influential older brother Saxon. Nivola is the son of British actor Emily Mortimer and American actor Alessandro Nivola. He spent his early childhood in Notting Hill before moving to Brooklyn; over the years, he’s appeared in shows including British miniseries The Pursuit of Love, Noah Baumbach’s film White Noise and the 2024 Nicole Kidman show The Perfect Couple.