With barely two episodes left to go till the end of the third season of The White Lotus, fans can put to rest at least one theory on who set off the shooting spree from the series opening.
Michelle Monaghan, who plays actress Jaclyn Lemon in the Mike White-created show, recently debunked a popular theory doing the rounds.
“You know, I’ve just got to debunk a theory out here. Guys, the monkeys did not do it!” Monaghan said on Jimmy Kimmel Live. “People have gone ape s*** thinking that.”
“I was hoping it was the monkeys. Those monkeys got a hold of that gun and started firing. That would be fantastic!” responded Kimmel.
Spoilers for The White Lotus season 3 follow
In the show opening, spa manager Belinda Lindsey’s son Zion Lindsey is at a meditation session when shots ring out in the resort, leading him to go looking for his mother when he comes across a body floating past him in the koi pond.
When asked if Jaclyn ends up snapping, Monaghan refused to give a direct answer.
“Well, I don’t know. You’ll have to watch. Maybe I go a little bananas. Maybe.”
Fans have instantly taken to the friendship Monaghan’s character has with her two best friends, Kate (Leslie Bibb) and Laurie (Carrie Coon). The tension within the group is hinted at when viewers first meet the characters, but continues to build as the season progresses.
In the sixth episode, Jaclyn ends up sleeping with a hotel employee she had previously been egging Laurie on to hook up with, a move that has divided fans.
“I think it wasn't so premeditated. I think it was impulsive. But I got a lot of people in my life who feel very differently. I immediately got texts from friends going, ‘Oh my God, Jaclyn is a b****!’” Monaghan said.
“Then I had other girlfriends going like, ‘Woo! Go Jaclyn, go.’ But the gays were all for it. The gays are like, ‘Go get yours. Like, absolutely go get yours.’ So all the gays out there are rooting for Jaclyn and all of her spicy business.”
The Mission: Impossible – Fallout star shared her tips for avoiding a similar situation for viewers who related a little too much with her character.
“The reality is, I think people have really taken to it because it is a very relatable triangulation,” she said.
“I mean, I think the moral of the story is don't go on vacation with three friends. Just avoid that number. It's like two or it’s four, otherwise they're definitely talking s***.”
Unpacking this oddly relatable relationship dynamic, The Independent’s Olivia Petter wrote: “This somewhat satirical verbal crusade unfolds with all of the women comparing their lives to one another, consequently reinforcing the pecking order that defines their relationships.
“We see it earlier on, too, when they discuss their respective appearances. “Jac, you look amazing,” gushes Kate, prompting the two women to repeatedly tell one another how “amazing” and “incredible” they both look while Laurie opens a bottle of wine. Exchanges like these – and there are many just in the first episode – are characterised by artifice, with praise so hyperbolic that it could only ever be inauthentic. It brings a tacit sense of menace to this friendship dynamic, which seems laced with competition, jealousy, and resentment.”
Another fan theory doing the rounds is Jason Isaacs’ Timothy Ratfliff, who has been contemplating killing himself to avoid going to jail after a shady business deal. Going increasingly desperate as he tries to hide the truth from his family, Ratliff has imagined shooting himself in more than one scene.
However, Isaacs was shot wearing a T-shirt bearing the Duke University insignia, since it was his character’s alma mater – which has not gone down well with the university at all.
University spokesperson Frank Tramble said that Duke’s depiction in the series “simply goes too far”. “Duke appreciates artistic expression and creative storytelling,” he told The New York Times. “But characters’ prominently wearing apparel bearing Duke’s federally registered trademarks creates confusion and mistakenly suggests an endorsement or affiliation where none exists.”
Mr Tramble told Bloomberg the series “not only uses our brand without permission but in our view uses it on imagery that is troubling, does not reflect our values or who we are, and simply goes too far”.
“Suicide is the second-leading cause of death on college campuses,” he added. “As imagery from the show is being shared widely across social media, we are using our brand to promote mental health awareness and remind people that help is available.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
