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“The White Lotus” third season teaser promises mystery and a pill-popping Parker Posey

Set at an exclusive Thai resort, this season makes up for a Coolidge deficit in the best possible way

Senior Culture Editor

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Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook and Sam Nivola in "The White Lotus" Season 3 (Fabio Lovino/HBO)
Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook and Sam Nivola in "The White Lotus" Season 3 (Fabio Lovino/HBO)

HBO dropped the first official teaser for the third season of "The White Lotus" on Monday, and although creator Mike White's return to a slam dunk format of casting a mixed bag of celebrities as eccentrically stressed resort inhabitors is minus the comedic chops of Jennifer Coolidge, the addition of Parker Posey in her stead gives reason enough to watch.

Rounding out an ensemble that includes Leslie Bibb, Carrie CoonJason IsaacsWalton Goggins, Patrick Schwarzenegger and series alum Natasha Rothwell, Posey plays Victoria Ratliff, vacationing at an exclusive Thai resort with her husband and three children when she finds herself in the middle of some manner of mystery upsetting enough to have her bemoaning the loss of her Lorazepam, forced to drink herself to sleep to make do.

When it was announced in January that Posey would be joining the show this season, it was all very hush hush as to the role she'd be playing and, until now, all we could glean from press photos was that her character was fond of parasols, which tracks.

"I can't tell you anything. I signed an NDA. I can't say anything," Posey said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the beginning of 2024. "It'll be six months in Thailand. It's the third [season], so that's when they get all the juices going, I guess. I got to read it. I love it. I'm really excited." 

But with this new teaser, the pieces are coming together in a very parasol + pills = Posey kind of way. 

Watch below and get ready for the Max premiere on February 16.

By Kelly McClure

Kelly McClure is Salon's Senior Culture Editor, where she helps further coverage of TV, film, music, books and culture trends from a unique and thoughtful angle. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Vanity Fair, Vice and many other outlets that don't start with the letter V. She is the author of one sad book called "Something Is Always Happening Somewhere." Follow her on Bluesky: @WolfieVibes

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