What would the second season of The White Lotus look like without the dysfunctional foursome of two married couples, Harper and Ethan, and Cameron and Daphne? According to the HBO show’s executive producer, David Bernad, Ethan Spiller was almost played by Golden Globe-winning actor Evan Peters as opposed to Will Sharpe.
Bernad told Deadline, “That part was the last part we cast in the season, and originally, it was supposed to be Evan Peters, but for whatever reason — scheduling or timing — it didn’t work out.” He said, “We were really trying to figure how to cast that part so it didn’t feel like familiar casting.”
Eventually, Bernad found Sharpe on a late-night online search. “I was jet-lagged, googling at 4 a.m., and I came across Will Sharpe in Giri/Haji, which is a brilliant show in the U.K.,” he explained. “I’d never seen him before, and he was just incredibly talented. I looked at his other work and realized he was kind of a chameleon.”
In the latest season of the Emmy-winning hit series, tech entrepreneur Ethan goes on vacation with his wife, Harper (portrayed by Aubrey Plaza), his old college roommate Cameron (Theo James), and his wife, Daphne (Meghann Fahy). Tensions grow and lines get blurry when monogamy and fidelity are called into question.
As much as we love Evan Peters, it’s hard to argue that Sharpe was the perfect Ethan to Plaza’s Harper.
The White Lotus was renewed for a third season in November. Bernard also discussed where we’ll be checking in for season 3. “We’ve tried to work in Asia a lot so hopefully season 3 will be our chance to make something happen there,” he said.
Creator, writer, and director Mike White teased what the next installment might hold in a HBO Max post-finale featurette. “The first season, we highlighted money and then the second season is sex and I think the third season, it would be maybe a kind of satirical and funny look at death in Eastern religion and spirituality — it feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus,” said White.
