“I Was Nervous That Sam Was Going To Do It…”: Walton Goggins Talks Filming Sam Rockwell’s Monologue In The White Lotus S3 E5 (2025)

Walton Goggins reflected on filming with Sam Rockwell during his bizarre monologue in The White Lotus season 3, episode 5. The latest season of the HBO series follows a new group of vacationers at the White Lotus' Thailand resort. While mostly set at the resort, Goggins' character, Rick, travels to Bangkok in episode 5, where he meets an old friend. In addition to Goggins and Rockwell, the cast of The White Lotus season 3 includes Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, and Natasha Rothwell.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly following The White Lotus season 3, episode 5 "Full-Moon Party," Goggins claims he was very excited to film scenes with Rockwell since they are best friends. However, he was also nervous to act alongside an actor he looks up to because he didn't want to let him down. Ultimately, Goggins reveals that working with Rockwell was the best time he had filming The White Lotus season 3. Read his full comments below:

I read it when I first read all the scripts two or three months before we started filming, and I was so blown away by [creator] Mike White and what he has to say about the world and these people, and really all of us, through this monologue. I just read it over and over and over and over and over again. And when Sam signed on — Sam is one of my best friends, and Leslie [Bibb], his partner is also one of my best friends — I was nervous that Sam was going to do it, and relieved that Sam was going to do it.

We know each other's ticks, and he's my hero, I don't want to let him down. But I want to play with him. And two minutes into the first conversation we had, it was like, 'Ohhhh, okay, now we can go anywhere, now we can do anything. It was the best time that I had really working on all of The White Lotus, working with him and those scenes.

Frank Is Already One Of The Most Unique Characters

It was amazing to see Rockwell, an Oscar winner, appear in The White Lotus in a surprise role. While it was unexpected, it makes sense since he is good friends with Goggins and is married to Bibb, who plays Kate in season 3 of the HBO series. Rockwell plays Frank in The White Lotus, Rick's old friend who moved to Thailand and reinvented himself years before the events of the season. Even though Frank helps him out by bringing him a gun in episode 5, learning new details about his friend is shocking to Rick.

Rockwell's monologue in season 3, episode 5, is one of the funniest and most bizarre scenes of the entire series. During the scene, Rick maintains a shocked expression as Frank goes into detail about his nighttime adventures when he first arrived in Thailand. Eventually, Frank suggests that he views himself as an Asian woman. This monologue is out of the blue, but also so memorable, and proves what a unique writer Mike White is. Despite this strange conversation, the trailer for The White Lotus season 3, episode 6 shows that Rick and Frank will once again meet up.

Our Take On Goggins & Rockwell's Scene

The Pair Have Great Chemistry

With The White Lotus, White has continuously proved that he is a writer who is not afraid to go into risqué territory. The White Lotus season 3, episode 5 is set entirely at night and follows several characters partying, including plenty of shocking scenes. However, Rockwell's monologue is definitely the most memorable moment of the episode, and perhaps one of the best moments of the entire series. I can't wait to watch Goggins and Rockwell continue to work together in the next episode of The White Lotus.

Source: EW

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The White Lotus

TV-MA

Comedy Drama Mystery

9/10

71 7.7/10

Release Date

July 11, 2021

Network

HBO

Showrunner

Mike White

Cast

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  Jennifer Coolidge

  Tanya McQuoid

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  Jon Gries

  Greg Hunt

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Where to watch

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WHERE TO WATCH

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The White Lotus is a television series that explores the interactions of guests and staff at an upscale tropical resort. Premiering in 2021, the narrative unfolds over a week, revealing underlying complexities and tensions among the resort's seemingly ideal travelers and employees.

Directors

Mike White

Writers

Mike White

Creator(s)

Mike White

Main Genre

Comedy

Character(s)

Tanya McQuoid, Greg Hunt, Bert Di Grasso, Lani, Armond, Valentina, Quentin, Harper Spiller, Niccolo, Nicole Mossbacher, Albie Di Grasso, Daphne Sullivan, Mia, Dominic Di Grasso, Rachel Patton, Cameron Sullivan, Quinn Mossbacher, Shane Patton, Portia, Ethan Spiller, Paula, Lucia Greco, Jack, Belinda Lindsey, Olivia Mossbacher

Producers

Mike White, Mark Kamine, David Bernad

Seasons

3

Story By

Mike White

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu, MAX

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