‘White Lotus’ exec producer explains Saxon, Lochlan incest twist: ‘Not just for shock’

They actually went there. 

Spoilers forward for the fifth episode of “The White Lotus” Season 3. 

Within the fifth episode of “The White Lotus” Season 3, the present took a surprising flip with a weird incest plot. 

Throughout the episode, brothers Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and Lochlan Ratliff (Sam Nivola) are partying with two ladies they wish to impress, Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wooden) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon). 

Everyone seems to be consuming and doing medication, and Chelsea and Chloe share a fast smooch earlier than Chloe gestures that the brothers also needs to kiss. As an alternative of ignoring her like a traditional individual, Lochlan then lays a lingering kiss on Saxon. 

“The White Lotus” govt producer David Bernad revealed if there was any behind-the-scenes dialogue about whether or not an incest plot was going too far. 

“No, in terms of that — that’s all [creator Mike White]. Mike is brilliant, and I think those big story turns are not just for shock,” he solely instructed The Put up. 

Bernad added, “There’s a specific reason in terms of the narrative storytelling, and the larger thematic idea Mike is trying to get across.” 

He defined, “as the season wraps up, you’ll see the purpose of that story turn. The show goes there for a larger thematic idea. I love that family storyline, especially the brother story — and, it culminates in a very satisfying way.”  

Every season of the Emmy-winning HBO dramedy follows a unique solid of sad wealthy individuals on trip at a department of the fictional “White Lotus” resort. 

In Season 3, which is about in Thailand, Schwarzenegger, 31, performs Saxon, a twentysomething frat boy sort who appears to imagine that the only objective of trip is to sleep with somebody. Lochlan is his youthful brother who’s about to go to school. 

Their sister Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) is extra religious. In the meantime, their mom Victoria (Parker Posey) is steadily on medication, and their father Timothy (Jason Isaacs) is misplaced in his personal world, as he’s beneath investigation for white-collar crime and spiraling as he hides this info from his household. 

Rounding out Season 3, there’s additionally troubled Rick (Walton Goggins) and his a lot youthful girlfriend, Chelsea (Wooden), and a trio of fortysomething ladies on a ladies journey — Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), Kate (Leslie Bibb) and Laurie (Carrie Coon).

Throughout a preseason HBO press convention, Schwarzenegger teased that his real-life household — together with well-known dad Arnold, mother Maria Shriver and brother-in-law Chris Pratt — are “super excited” to observe him in “The White Lotus” and “don’t know anything” about what was in retailer, together with the incest plot. 

He additionally stated that there are some scenes which are “uncomfortable to watch with your family.” 

“Maybe I won’t watch that episode [with my family]. I don’t know, we’ll see,” he stated. 

Throughout the identical press convention, Nivola stated in regards to the Ratliff household, “We’re not necessarily that close with one another, at least the three siblings going into this vacation. And then it’s really like a sort of petri dish. You just plop us in where we have to be so close.” 

Referring to Saxon and Lochlan, Nivola added, “We’re literally sharing a room.” 

Schwarzenegger chimed in and quipped, “We share more than a room!” 

Over the course of filming, he and Nivola “became really great friends — which almost made it a little bit weirder.” 

“The White Lotus” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.