The White Lotus Creator Mike White Says He Didn’t Know Who BLACKPINK’s Lisa Was Before Casting Her
The White Lotus writer, Mike White, initially hesitated to cast Blackpink’s Lisa in season 3, as she could attract too much attention that would lead to security concerns.
The announcement of Blackpink’s Lisa (Lalisa Manobal) joining the cast of The White Lotus Season 3 stirred a wave of excitement among fans. But according to the show’s creator and writer, Mike White, he was initially hesitant about casting the K-pop superstar. His main concern? The overwhelming attention her presence could bring, along with potential security challenges on set.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, White revealed that he wasn’t familiar with Lisa or her global fame. “I didn’t know who Lisa or Blackpink was," he admitted. “All I knew was that one of the Blackpink girls [Jennie Kim] was in The Idol, and I thought, ‘We’re not doing that.’"
related stories
He initially rejected the idea, worried about the distraction Lisa’s global stardom might cause. “They told me there might be security issues, and I just said, ‘No.’" But everything changed after her audition. “Her audition was amazing. Lisa’s so nice and uncomplicated," he said. “But I still didn’t want to cast her. I’m just used to keeping things low-key—we don’t need all that attention."
Eventually, Lisa’s undeniable talent won him over. Reflecting on her star power, White remarked, “She’s like Taylor Swift meets Princess Diana."
“I wanted to be respectful to Thailand. She’s like Taylor Swift meets Princess Diana there. She’s more than just a pop star, I just didn’t get it initially. When we cast her, there were people in the production that cried and anything she does is scrutinized, so it’s a nice part. It’s not like she’s a tramp running around sleeping with married men. We got our fill of that," Mike White added.
Revealing Lisa’s casting process, producer David Bernad said that they met the Blackpink star in a private place in Phuket, Thailand. Before meeting her, they had already spoken to other actresses in Bangkok and had someone else in mind for the role of Mook. But Lisa surprised them. She was very down to earth and had worked for the role. It was clear she truly wanted the part.
The final episode of The White Lotus Season 3 will air this Monday and Mike White shared that the episode is longer than usual. As a creator, he’s proud of the conclusion and still finds it hard to believe he wrote something like that. He hopes that viewers should feel a little sad, but in the right way, and not get confused or frustrated. White also knows that everyone will have their own opinions and all he can do is hope the ending turns out well.
Other than Lisa, the show also features Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Sarah Catherine Hook, Jason Isaacs, Charlotte Le Bon, Sam Nivola, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Jon Gries, Walton Goggins, Michelle Monaghan, Natasha Rothwell, Tayme Thampthimthong and Aimee Lou Wood.
- Location :
- First Published: