Elizabeth Banks Just Pushed To Land A Very Specific White Lotus Role

After making two immensely popular seasons of The White Lotus, creator Mike White seemingly has his pick of A-list stars for Season 3. A growing list of talented actors have put their names forward for consideration, including Jennifer Aniston, Bette Midler, and Jamie Lee Curtis, among others. The latest is Elizabeth Banks, and she very specifically wants to be one of the show’s victims.

Dead Set On A Role

Banks was promoting her new animated film, Migration, on Live With Kelly and Mark on Dec. 15 when she mentioned that White “wrote the original draft of the script” before doing the first two seasons of The White Lotus. That gave Mark Consuelos the opportunity to ask her if she’d expressed any interest in starring on the anthology series to White. Her answer was a resounding yes.

“I want to be murdered so badly on The White Lotus,” Banks said, alluding to the mysterious deaths that have unfolded in each season — first Armond’s (Murray Bartlett) and second Tanya’s (Jennifer Coolidge). “Like, kill me. Please kill me.”

Both Consuelos and Kelly Ripa were all for the idea, so Banks encouraged the talk show hosts to appeal directly to White. Turning to the camera, Ripa issued the plea. “Mike White, please put your friend Elizabeth Banks in White Lotus Season 3 or 4 — we’ll take either one,” she said.

Banks appreciated Ripa’s efforts on her behalf. She joked, “I’m writing you a check right now.” There’s still time for their plea to pay off, as filming is set to begin in early 2024.

A “Crazier” Season 3

White previously promised a “supersized White Lotus” in Season 3. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in November, he teased that it would be “longer, bigger, and crazier.” This time, the story will reportedly be set in Thailand, following up the Season 1 and 2 locations of Maui and Sicily, respectively.

White discussed the themes of the first two seasons with Variety in December 2022, and he looked ahead to Season 3, saying it “would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality.” That seems to be the route he ultimately took. In May, Francesca Orsi, HBO’s head of drama, shared details of Season 3 with Deadline.

“It’s an exploration about spirituality versus the ego,” Orsi said. “And it’s set against the Eastern religion. But beyond that, I can’t really speak to some of the character ideas that Mike has.”

So far, only the casting of Natasha Rothwell, who played Belinda in Season 1, has been confirmed. Before that, White noted to Deadline that they’d worked with “so many fun actors” already and it was “just kind of like who’s available.” That, and now perhaps whoever’s knocking on his door, like Banks.