Sam Rockwell is ‘The White Lotus’s best kept secret
The Oscar-winning actor delivered a freaky monologue only an actor of his ilk could. Here's everything we know about the casting
By 
WE KNEW A CAMEO of this magnitude was in the wings. Though we didn’t know by how many degrees of separation it would take. Sam Rockwell is the newest addition to the season three cast of The White Lotus, playing Frank, Rick’s (Walton Goggins) friend who is based in Bangkok.
We meet Frank on a rendez-vous at a hotel bar. The two are old friends, though I doubt Frank is involved in the same Hollywood sphere Rick exists in. This relationship seems more nefarious. After that intense monologue that unpacks his detachment and sexual identity, Frank slides over a duffel bag to Rick that packs a gun. He’s a supplier of some contraband; Rick has come to him before with other favours.
The two are set to meet up again in Bangkok, featured in the episode six trailer, where Rick is asking for some face time with Jim Hollinger, the White Lotus owner who allegedly murdered his father. It;s unclear yet the connection between Frank and Jim. To be a you killed my father, I kill you scenario, we’ll see how much Frank is implicated as this storyline develops, or whether he’d dissuade his friend, considering his recent transcendence into Buddhism.
Is Sam Rockwell married to Leslie Bibb?
Indeed, Sam Rockwell and Leslie Bibb are together, though they have never been married. The two actors have been in a longterm relationship since 2007, having met in most cliché way actors only can: at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.
Read Esquire’s recap of the latest episode of ‘The White Lotus’:
‘The White Lotus’ season 3, episode 5 recap: full moon antics
What is Sam Rockwell’s best known role?
The California-born actor has a rep for playing some freaky, eccentric weirdos. Recently, Rockwell was in Taika Waititi’s 2019 Jojo Rabbit as the Nazi Captain Klenzendorf. You’d also remember him in Seven Psychopaths across Colin Farrell or Adam McKay’s 2018 Vice.
Rockwell’s best role to date is the alcoholic cop Jason Dixon in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The actor took the Best Supporting Oscar for the role in 2017, as well as costar Frances McDormand who took home Best Actress in a Leading Role. His role as George W. Bush in Vice the following year earned Rockwell another Best Supporting Actor nomination.
How did Sam Rockwell get cast in The White Lotus?
In a red carpet interview with his partner Leslie Bibb, she revealed that Rockwell was in South Africa filming another project when she was in Thailand. It was a matter of the stars aligning, Bibb said, to make this happen. But don’t take this as an instance of nepotism; show creator makes all of his cast audition for their roles. And, boy, is Rockwell right for the little weirdo that is Frank.
Related:
‘The White Lotus’ season 3, episode 5 recap: full moon antics
