As The White Lotus Season 3 continues, the latest episode provided insight into Rick, played by Walton Goggins, whose past fuels his actions in Thailand. The HBO series, created by Mike White, has consistently layered its social satire with mystery, and Episode 4 reveals the deeply personal reason behind Rick’s visit to the White Lotus resort.
Rick discloses to Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) that the resort’s owner is responsible for his father’s murder. His trip was planned around confronting this man, though a last-minute change sent the owner to Bangkok, forcing Rick to adapt. Goggins described Rick’s motivation as an overwhelming need to be heard. “He’s motivated by the need to sit in front of this guy and have him bear witness to the pain that he had caused,” Goggins said. “To be able to say that to them, see them hear it—what an unbelievable opportunity, what an unbelievable drive.”
That drive stood out to Goggins from the start, as he was given the full season’s scripts before committing to the role. He connected with the character’s emotional weight and the sense of loss that defined his life. “This person at this age who has lived this life for so long, [who] had an opportunity to have a much greater journey on this earth, and that was taken by this person that his mother told him about,” Goggins said.
The revelation also places Rick in a complicated position. While he has been running from his past for years, his decision to return to confront it raises questions about what happens next. Goggins noted that Rick’s moral code demands consequences, but he kept the details vague, leaving open the possibility of further escalation.
Themes of suffering and acceptance also play into Rick’s arc. Goggins pointed to Buddhist teachings, explaining how Rick’s journey aligns with the philosophy that suffering is part of life. “It’s a part of your life that is suffering—identifying what that part is, the rest of the world around you is still beautiful, but we can’t see that,” Goggins said. He added that Rick’s experience is something he hopes resonates with audiences.
This role offered a different challenge for Goggins, who is known for playing expressive, fast-talking characters. Rick, by contrast, is quiet and introspective. “I have played roles like this, but never quite like this,” Goggins said. “It is very reserved because of his state of mind, and who he is as a person, and understanding the way that he has moved through the world on the fringes of society.”
Filming The White Lotus came at a time when Goggins was balancing other projects, including Fallout and The Righteous Gemstones. Despite the demanding schedule, he described working on Mike White’s series as creatively fulfilling. “My heart needed it, my soul needed it, and I hope that it speaks to people,” Goggins said.
Meanwhile, the rest of the episode set up a tense midseason shift. Hide or Seek left multiple characters in precarious situations, with tensions rising as secrets unravel. The presence of a missing gun and a high-stakes boat trip echo past tragedies in the series, suggesting that danger is looming.
The White Lotus airs Sundays on HBO and Max.