Walton Goggins couldn’t have predicted that one of the most surreal TV moments of the year would come from his real-life friend Sam Rockwell. But that’s exactly what happened in episode five of The White Lotus season three — and Goggins thought it was nothing short of “beautiful.”
In 2023, Goggins found out that Mike White wanted him to play a role in the third season of The White Lotus. He eagerly read through the scripts during a flight from Los Angeles to New York and was stunned by how much he connected with Rick Hatchett, the character he’d been offered. “It felt like they had somehow tapped into my life — like they had been listening through my iPhone or digging through my personal photos,” Goggins said. “I understood Rick’s journey, what he’d experienced, and the truths he was about to confront. It felt incredibly profound.”
Much like Rick, Goggins had once traveled to Southeast Asia during a pivotal time in his life. While filming scenes for the fifth episode, which aired on Sunday, March 16, he realized that some of the locations were the exact places he had visited years ago. “It was very visceral, very personal — it cut close to the bone,” he said.
Episode four saw Rick finally opening up to his girlfriend Chelsea (played by Aimee Lou Wood) about why he had come to the White Lotus hotel in Thailand: the hotel’s owner is allegedly the man who killed his father. In episode five, Rick travels to Bangkok, seemingly determined to confront the man. But before that, he reconnects with his old friend Frank — played in a surprise appearance by Sam Rockwell.
Given that Rockwell’s longtime partner is White Lotus star Leslie Bibb, some viewers assumed that’s how the Oscar winner landed the role. But the truth is even better: Rockwell and Goggins have been close friends for 15 years. That real-life bond added weight to the scene where Rick and Frank catch up over drinks — leading to Frank’s jaw-dropping monologue about his own wild path of self-discovery.
Goggins is no stranger to standout TV roles, from Boyd Crowder on Justified to Baby Billy Freeman on The Righteous Gemstones and the Ghoul on Fallout. But sharing the screen with his longtime friend in The White Lotus has become one of the most meaningful moments of his career. Reflecting on the scene, Goggins said, “It was incredible — a moment of truth between two friends that I’ll never forget.”
Much like Rick, Goggins had once traveled to Southeast Asia during a pivotal time in his life. While filming scenes for the fifth episode, which aired on Sunday, March 16, he realized that some of the locations were the exact places he had visited years ago. “It was very visceral, very personal — it cut close to the bone,” he said.
Episode four saw Rick finally opening up to his girlfriend Chelsea (played by Aimee Lou Wood) about why he had come to the White Lotus hotel in Thailand: the hotel’s owner is allegedly the man who killed his father. In episode five, Rick travels to Bangkok, seemingly determined to confront the man. But before that, he reconnects with his old friend Frank — played in a surprise appearance by Sam Rockwell.
Given that Rockwell’s longtime partner is White Lotus star Leslie Bibb, some viewers assumed that’s how the Oscar winner landed the role. But the truth is even better: Rockwell and Goggins have been close friends for 15 years. That real-life bond added weight to the scene where Rick and Frank catch up over drinks — leading to Frank’s jaw-dropping monologue about his own wild path of self-discovery.
Goggins is no stranger to standout TV roles, from Boyd Crowder on Justified to Baby Billy Freeman on The Righteous Gemstones and the Ghoul on Fallout. But sharing the screen with his longtime friend in The White Lotus has become one of the most meaningful moments of his career. Reflecting on the scene, Goggins said, “It was incredible — a moment of truth between two friends that I’ll never forget.”
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