‘He needs love’: The White Lotus’ stars react to that incestuous kiss with strange new details

Somehow I feel worse now they’ve cleared it up

5 hours ago

After their sibling characters necked on in The White Lotus season three, actors Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola have offered their thoughts about the kiss and it’s wider implications.

The White Lotus wouldn’t be the show we know and love without some viral NSFW moments. There are enough full-frontal moments to give OnlyFans a run for its money and that’s to say nothing of Murray Bartlett’s analingus scene that is permanently branded in my brain.

Season three of The White Lotus has been more of the same, and while I thought Jason Isaacs’ flashing moment would be the most shocking scene of the season, Saxon and Lochlan Ratliff quickly proved otherwise with a sibling kiss. We saw it coming, but it still packed a punch.

Patrick Schwarzenegger said there’s a plan for his brotherly kiss

#WHITELOTUS: THEY KISSED! THE BROTHERS KISSED! i’m not surprised because we saw where this was going in the first episode. i can’t say i’m shocked because white lotus always pushes boundaries but this is INSANE. this family is a hot mess#WHITELOTUSSEASON3 pic.twitter.com/i7zsfhWq30

— — C | A | M | E | R | O | N — (@its1stclassCAM) March 17, 2025

The shocking moment came during the latest episode of The White Lotus when Saxon and Lochlan joined Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) and Chelsea (AimeeLou Wood) for some late-night partying.

In typical bro fashion, Saxon asked for the two women to kiss and they did. However, they then demanded the same of Saxon and Lochlan despite them being BIOLOGICAL brothers. Lochlan proceeded to place a peck on his brother’s lips, but when the girls called him out of the half-assed attempt, he went in for a full snog.

Speaking to E! News, Patrick Schwarzenegger explained how the kiss is part of Mike White’s larger plan for the brothers.

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“He wants to leave that up to the interpretation of the audience of what is happening,” Patrick said. “Was a power shift happening? Is there a different power dynamic between him and Lochy? Is Lochy coming on to him? Is it the drugs? Is it the girls pressuring him? What is it? So, I think he leaves that open-ended for the audience to try to decipher.”

Watching the white lotus brothers kiss tonight pic.twitter.com/Bvgq4ersLN

— bry ♈︎ (@bryannspears) March 17, 2025

Similarly, while talking with Vulture, Charlotte Le Bon noted how Patrick nearly threw up after the kiss and it was his very real reaction.

She said: “I think for Patrick it was really difficult. For Sam, he was kind of like, ‘It’s whatever, let’s just do it well one time and it will be over.’ You know? Because if you don’t do it well the first time, then you have to do it over and over again.

“But Patrick’s reaction in the episode is his genuine reaction. We all thought he was going to throw up. And Sam was like, ‘It’s fine, it’s just a kiss, calm down!’”

Sure, you can be grossed out kissing your brother but Sam and Patrick are not related in real life so it’s kinda problematic. You got your peen out in the first few episodes Patrick, I’m sure one little gay kiss will be fine.

The White Lotus writers are despicable for this gay incest storyline. Portraying such abhorrent and morally corrupt behavior in the current political climate is detrimental to the LGBTQ+ community. I can’t wait to watch them kiss pic.twitter.com/rcyiaqsZO3

— Corey Jacob (@coreytimes) February 17, 2025

Sam Nivola shared Lochlan’s perspective of the smooch

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Sam Nivola gave a slightly less infuriating response to the kissing scene.

“He’s just an incredibly insecure guy, a real people pleaser who needs something from the people. He’s not very self-sufficient, he needs love and support from the people around him in his life, and I think he’s willing to go to all the lengths to find the people he loves.”

Why does it need some deeper meaning or comment on society? Can’t we just let the characters of The White Lotus be utter freaks?

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Featured image credit: HBO