Cohesion.
Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola’s “White Lotus” characters, brothers Saxon and Lochlan Ratliff, kissed throughout Sunday’s episode — and it seems they locked lips extra occasions than what was proven on digicam.
“We shot it a few different ways, and we talked about it a lot,” Nivola, 21, mentioned concerning the incest scene in a brand new interview with GQ. “I think at the end of the day, it was supposed to just be like they’re all really f–ed up, and, of course, kissing your brother is incredibly wrong and weird and gross.”
“But I think as is the case with ‘The White Lotus,’ it’s like these crazy actions and sort of heightened reality coming from really real emotions that are actually really relatable to your everyday guy,’” Nivola added.
The actor added of Lochlan, “He just is desperate for his brother’s approval and he’s out doing this partying drug thing with Saxon, which is a thing that Saxon keeps talking about, and all he talks about is sex.”
“He’s like, ‘Sex is the main point of life. You need to get laid. That’s what you need,’” Nivola famous. “I’m like, ‘Okay. Well, in this charged sexual environment, what can I do to make you notice me and get you to approve of me?’ And then, he does the wrong thing to make that happen.”
Saxon and Lochlan’s stunning kiss occurs once they attempt to impress Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wooden) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) because the foursome events collectively after the Full Moon Celebration.
Based on Nivola, he and Schwarzenegger, 31, didn’t overly focus on their characters’ dynamic earlier than the incest scene.
“I think that’s what we wound up deciding is we’re going to let our instincts and Mike’s [White] direction take the reins and let the audience interpret this weird thing that we have going on, because that’s the way of movies and TV,” Nivola mentioned.
“So, we also didn’t want to make any hard and fast decisions about what we wanted the dynamic to be until we were on set,” he added.
Nivola mentioned that “everything changes” for Lochlan within the aftermath of the kiss.
“It was basically like there’s two versions of me. There’s before that and after that, and that was a really important thing,” he mentioned. “But other than that, I don’t think that is something that is a defining aspect of my character, of Lochlan.”
“Of course, the way it’s edited and the way it looks, it is really sort of raunchy and there’s moments leading up to that are really sexually charged,” Nivola added. “But I think really that’s supposed to be a red herring for the audience where really it’s just [that] Lochlan just wants attention, and he just wants his brother to like him. He gets really f—d up and does something terrible.”
The “Maestro” actor informed GQ that he’s “not prepared” for the web chatter concerning the viral scene.
“I mean, I’m on Instagram. I don’t have many followers, so I don’t know what it’s like to have a bunch of people trying to get in touch with you about your work and their opinions, whether they be positive or negative about what you’re doing,” he mentioned. “Yeah, I don’t know what to expect at all, but I’m ready. I hope.”
Schwarzenegger informed In the present day that his character is equally on a distinct trajectory after making out along with his brother.
“One of the themes really is you enter the White Lotus as one person and you leave as another,” he mentioned. “Who are you when everything that you thought you were is taken away? And I think that’s something that’s really relevant and prevalent for Saxon.”
Schwarzenegger added, “Him walking into the White Lotus as the most confident and sure person of who he is, and everything gets completely questioned in his experience there.”
In an unique interview with The Publish, “The White Lotus” government producer David Bernad mentioned that the kissing scene was “not just for shock,” and that White, 54, all the time has a much bigger plan.
“There’s a specific reason in terms of the narrative storytelling, and the larger thematic idea Mike is trying to get across,” Bernad mentioned.
He added, “As the season wraps up, you’ll see the purpose of that story turn. The show goes there for a larger thematic idea. I love that family storyline, especially the brother story — and, it culminates in a very satisfying way.”
“The White Lotus” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
