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Natasha Rothwell pops up on video from the US looking super-glamorous in a silvery-grey dress, with her hair and makeup on point. Did we miss a memo about a dress code for our interview? “I’ve just come from an event and thought, even though you’re not filming this, you could at least admire,” she laughs. “You know what they say: share the hair and never waste a face.”
Rothwell is currently stealing the show as spa manager Belinda in season three of HBO hit The White Lotus – reprising her role from season one, for which she was Emmy-nominated. Having endured the whims of Jennifer Coolidge’s needy heiress in Hawaii, Belinda has now travelled to the titular resort in Thailand to take part in its wellness training programme. She’s “cosplaying as a guest”, as Rothwell puts it – and in the process both finding romance and uncovering a potential crime.
The 44-year-old was born in Kansas but spent her childhood moving around the US due to her father’s job in the air force. She studied theatre at university, before becoming a high school drama teacher in the Bronx, while appearing in comedy clubs by night. Her first professional gig in showbiz was as a writer on Saturday Night Live.
She found on-screen fame in Issa Rae’s hit comedy Insecure on HBO; Rothwell was originally hired as a story editor but her script readings in the writers’ room inspired Rae to cast her as Kelli Prenny, who became a breakout heroine. Last year, Rothwell created her own Hulu sitcom, How To Die Alone, about a lonely airport employee who has never been in love.
Resplendent in her finery, Rothwell discusses The White Lotus, her daily Donald Trump protests and recent ADHD diagnosis. “Kop khun ka”, as they say in Koh Samui.
Was it always the plan to come back for The White Lotus season three or did it come out of the blue?
It definitely wasn’t the plan. It was pitched as a limited series. I put the character away, thanked her and watched season two as a fan like everyone else. When Mike [White, the show’s creator] reached out about returning for season three, I was beside myself. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that I got twice.
How was filming in Thailand?
Beautiful but too hot. It teaches you a bit of Buddhism: want is the root of all suffering. I tried to stop wanting it to be cold and it did help. I just gave into the environment. Resisting it every day for five months was not going to be fun.
Lisa from K-pop band Blackpink plays health mentor Mook. Were lots of Lisa fans hanging around?
She is huge but also wonderfully ordinary. Kind, relatable and approachable. I even met her mum. She’s just the sweetest – then you see people peeking in, like “is that her? Scream!” I can’t imagine that kind of mega-wattage celebrity. I’m quite the hermit myself, so to see someone handle it with such aplomb was cool. She’s so young but so savvy.
In episode one, Belinda is so pleasantly surprised to see a black couple in the hotel restaurant that she gives them a little wave. Have you had moments like that in your own life?
I actually pitched that to Mike. I told him that when you see other people of colour travelling – particularly if they’re moving in spaces that are quite homogenous – you want to let them know that you see them. It’s something subtle that happens. I remember being in Ireland, at a castle on some misty moor, and a black family came out of the fog. I was wide-eyed. I didn’t know them from Adam but I just walked over and hugged them. I was so grateful that Mike added that part in.
In the first season, was it a struggle not to laugh while shooting scenes with Jennifer Coolidge?
She’s so deeply funny, it’s incredible. I cut my teeth in improv and sketch comedy, so fancy myself as pretty unflappable. But the moment where I’m singing a hymn to her and she sings it back, that wasn’t in the script. I remember biting the inside of my cheek, thinking “Don’t break, don’t break”.
Apparently she’s keen for her villainous ex, Greg, to get his comeuppance and messaged you saying “Go get him, girl”?
(Laughs) She’s been texting me throughout the series. Jen is so supportive and such a character. Audiences miss her, so I’m a surrogate, keeping the flame alive.
We’re midway through the series. What’s in store for Belinda over the next four episodes?
Expect the unexpected. That’s kind of a piss-poor answer but I can’t say much. You’ll see sides of Belinda that emerge when she’s confronted with fear. Stay tuned.
You had a stint in the UK shooting Wonka, in which you played plumber Piper Benz, and are a self-confessed anglophile. What is it that you like about it here?
Believe it or not, I even love the shitty weather. It’s sunny all the time in LA. I don’t trust a person who’s always happy. You need inclement weather to appreciate the sunshine. London is like New York with an accent. It’s walkable, the theatre is incredible, you can drink a pint on the street and no one looks twice. I got addicted to Gogglebox and Love Island. I even got a Love Island water bottle for Christmas. The Office is one of my all-time favourites. I was a David Brent purist and only watched the BBC original. When the US version came out, I refused to watch it at first.
Was Insecure a gamechanger for you?
Without question. Hands down, it changed my life. I had no idea the show would be that big, let alone that I’d become an actor on it, as well as a writer. Insecure unlocked something. It showed me that black female comedy could succeed. Young, plus-size actresses who are brown still come up and say “Kelli Prenny is on my wall!” For me, that inspiration was Nell Carter on [80s sitcom] Gimme A Break! That’s why representation is so important. It allows us to dream bigger.
You used to teach at a high school in the Bronx. Tell us about that.
I loved teaching theatre so much. My older sister has been in elementary education for over 25 years so I definitely “phoned a friend” a time or two. I always had the call to teach. Now I have several young writers and actors in LA that I mentor. It’s important to send the elevator back down. Besides, after teaching teenagers, nothing can scare you.
Was it hard to get over the disappointment of How To Die Alone not being renewed for a second series?
You have to accept sometimes that things are unjust or unfair. This was a huge reminder of that. You can create a critically acclaimed, award-winning show that gets great numbers and it still not be enough. I’ve had to remind myself to be proud of what I put into the world and the effect that it had on people. The industry is tricky right now. Post-strike Hollywood is operating from a place of fear and that’s no way to make art. I hope to find it another home. My middle name is Faith, so I’m not going to have the funeral quite yet.
Do you think comedy is underestimated? It rarely wins Oscars, for example.
Absolutely, and I think it’s much harder. Great comedians make incredible dramatists and I don’t know if the opposite is true. George Saunders defined comedy as the truth told quickly. Comedians are fearless in their confrontation of the truth. That’s why I’m so grateful for The White Lotus. It enables me to use my comedic training in a dramatic way. Comedy needs more respect.
What projects are in the pipeline for you?
A series about [internet personality] Reesa Teesa, who found viral fame after a TikTok post about how she was hoodwinked by her husband. It’s my first role where I’m playing someone who’s living. It’s such a relatable story, set on the battlefield of love. Talk about resilience: she used her platform to tell everyone how she was taken advantage of, which was a radical act of vulnerability. It inspired me to have courage to be more vulnerable, so I hope the show can do the same.
We admire your dedication to tweeting “You are trash” at Donald Trump every day. How did that start?
It’s a necessity. I’ve been doing it since his first term. I went on hiatus during Biden’s presidency but now I’m back. It’s just a reminder that what’s going on is not normal and to speak truth to power. It’s a micro-resistance but it makes me feel better. I never planned it as a daily thing. I sent the first one and the next day was like: “that motherfucker is still trash.” Until I get it out of my system and I feel everyone’s chanting the same thing, I’m going to keep doing it. People ask if I have an AI bot that does it for me. No, I roll over in the morning and if that idiot comes to my mind, I tweet it. I love that people have tuned into something so simple. It’s just a collective nod. We’re all in agreement, so let’s keep pushing.
You were diagnosed with ADHD last year. Did things suddenly make sense for you?
Massively. I’ve always felt a little neurospicy but have found ways to work with it and move through the world. Before diagnosis, I’d get frustrated at some of the symptoms. Understanding that it’s just my factory setting has made me accept who I am in total. I consider the diagnosis a gift. I’m able to unmask some of my traits and let my freak flag fly.
What makes you happy when you’re not working?
Did my therapist tell you to ask that? (Laughs) I’m actively pursuing a hobby that has nothing to do with my vocation. I love what I do so much that work/life balance can be tricky. But I’m trying to get into Lego, so let’s see if it sticks.
The White Lotus airs on Mondays on Sky Atlantic and is available on streaming service Now
