We look back at all three seasons of The White Lotus to pick (and rank) the five most and five least endearing characters. Who do we love, and who do we loathe?
The White Lotus has delivered three seasons of juicy drama, biting satire, and intriguing mystery, set against the backdrop of luxurious resorts. Beyond admiring the beachfront views and extravagant brunches in Mike White’s HBO hit, fans have formed strong opinions on the characters that stole or shattered their hearts. We’ve scoured the internet to come up with a ranking of the five most liked and five most disliked characters from The White Lotus. Who did fans take to, and who could they not stand?
Most Likeable Characters
5) Lucia Greco (Simona Tabasco, Season 2)
Lucia moved seamlessly between guest rooms and bar counters, playing the seduction game with charm and confidence. She was a savvy and attractive Sicilian escort who somehow managed to infiltrate the hotel’s guest list, striking up a relationship with Albie Di Grasso (Adam DiMarco), the son of a big Hollywood producer, who was initially unaware of her profession. Whether she was manipulating others or having the time of her life, she did it with flair and style.
4) Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood, Season 3)
Chelsea was free-spirited, emotionally intuitive, and deeply caring — a rare combination of traits for a White Lotus guest. Some viewers initially thought the astrology-obsessed girlfriend of Rick (Walton Goggins) was a money-grubbing sugar baby. However, viewers quickly found her to be sweet and sincere — a breath of fresh air, given the sheer number of entitled, bratty characters that populate the show. She constantly worried about Rick and repeatedly tried to reignite his sense of joy and purpose. With her earnest demeanour and effortless warmth, Chelsea brought lightness to a season otherwise saddled with secrets.
3) Belinda Lindsey (Natasha Rothwell, Seasons 1 and 3)
Belinda, the spa manager at The White Lotus Hawaii, was known for her kind and calm presence. She offered the kind of emotional support and grounding energy that many of the guests desperately needed but few respected.
Her association with Tanya (who is further down on the list!) started as a professional client-customer relationship but developed into a complicated sort of partnership — albeit a one-sided one. Tanya promised to start a wellness business with her, but that promise eventually unravelled. Fans rallied and called for a happier ending for the consistently genuine character. She then returned in Season 3 for a well-deserved vacation at The White Lotus Thailand, this time as a guest.
2) Harper Spiller (Aubrey Plaza, Season 2)
Sardonic, sharp-eyed, and one glass of wine away from telling everyone exactly what she thinks, Harper was a whip-smart lawyer. She joined her husband, Ethan (Will Sharpe), on a deeply awkward couples’ trip to Sicily and immediately sensed something off in the other couple’s relationship. In a sea of privileged and entitled people, Harper’s authenticity, groundedness, and emotional honesty made her a standout.
1) Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge, Seasons 1 and 2)
Tanya was a lonely, eccentric heiress who vacationed alone in pursuit of emotional healing (and for a place to scatter her mother’s ashes). She was as unfiltered as she was unforgettable, bringing both tragic vulnerability and campy brilliance to the screen. Whether she was sobbing in a spa or fumbling through a yacht escape, her melodramatic flair turned her into an endlessly quotable icon. Her line, “These gays, they’re trying to murder me!” went instantly viral, and her messy search for connection struck a chord with millions.
Most Unlikeable Characters
5) Shane Patton (Jake Lacy, Season 1)
Shane was a rich, spoilt brat whose entitlement was almost cartoonish: he fixated on room assignments and threw a fit over how he didn’t get the right suite — all while ignoring his wife’s emotional spiral. He was obsessed with winning every argument and had an inflated sense of self-importance. He allowed his mom to intrude on his honeymoon. His smugness, snide remarks, and escalating tension with the hotel staff made him an instant antagonist. He wasn’t just a bad husband; he was basically the world’s biggest jerk. At least he didn’t commit anything illegal, like someone further down this list.
4) Portia (Haley Lu Richardson, Season 2)
In Season 2, we were introduced to Portia, Tanya’s young assistant, who got swept up in high-end Italian vacation drama. Thrust from community college into billionaire chaos and still figuring out who she was, she somehow seemed incapable of doing her job. While some mocked her maximalist fashion sense (including her bucket hat) as ‘Portia-core’ and criticised her indecisiveness, others argued she represents Gen Z’s real struggle to belong and find themselves under pressure.
3) Olivia Mossbacher (Sydney Sweeney, Season 1)
A sarcastic, sort-of socially conscious college student travelling with her ultra-wealthy family, Olivia read the right books — or at least pretended to — but lacked empathy and self-awareness. Her treatment of her friend Paula (Brittany O’Grady) and her hypocritical behaviour revealed more about her privilege than her politics. Her moral superiority and snarky takedowns also rubbed audiences the wrong way. Many viewers agreed: she’s the kind of person who weaponises ‘wokeness’ just to feel like she’s better than everyone else.
2) Cameron Babcock (Theo James, Season 2)
Cameron was a finance bro that embodied every red flag you’d warn your friends about: he was manipulative, arrogant, and addicted to power plays. While vacationing with his wife and his college best friend, he constantly cheated on the former, and his incessant flirtations with Harper made viewers squirm. Despite his outward charms, many couldn’t wait for him to get emotionally (or literally) wrecked, especially by his wife, Daphne (Meghann Fahy).
1) Greg/Gary Hunt (Jon Gries, Seasons 1–3)
Tanya’s fisherman-turned-husband with a shady past and even shadier motives, Greg/Gary, first appeared as a sweet, if awkward, romantic interest. But the fisherman hat quickly lost its charm; by Season 2, he’s shown to have a more sinister motive for being with Tanya. His cold betrayal and callous disregard for her feelings turned him into one of the show’s most universally hated characters. He returned in Season 3, living in a small house near The White Lotus Thailand and in a brand new relationship.
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This satire is set at a Thai resort and follows various guests and employees.
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Jia Tolentino and Josh Bearman break down each episode with the cast, crew, and behind-the-scenes insights.
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