Warning: This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of The White Lotus.
Natasha Rothwell has opened up about why it means so much to her that her character is at the centre of a romance in the new season of The White Lotus.
As the current series has progressed, viewers have been hooked on the vibe between spa manager Belinda and fellow White Lotus employee Pornchai (although, frankly, it’s just nice to see some sort of flirtation on that show between two mutual parties who aren’t related to one another).
Things finally took a physical turn between Belinda and Pornchai at the end of episode five, which Natasha was asked for her take on during an interview with CinemaBlend.
“My heart beats in rom-com, and workplace romance is at the heart of so many rom-coms,” she enthused. “And so you have this moment where something is awakening inside Belinda, and I think it’s because Pornchai is giving to her.
“Belinda spends the better part of her life giving to others – and you can’t pour from an empty cup, and he’s filling her cup in more ways than one which is really exciting to see.”
Natasha continued: “I think showing plus-size love on TV is important, you know? I think, so often, those moments are reserved for straight-sized people who have often taken up centre frame.
“And so, to be able to put her on screen, and show that she’s worthy and deserving of love and affection, is pretty powerful.”
She also spoke about working with Thai actor Dom Hetrakul, joking: “Have you seen Pornchai? He’s very symmetrical, I was not mad when casting came out.
“In addition to being just wonderful to look at, Dom is just an incredible actor.”
Belinda was first introduced to White Lotus fans during the inaugural season in 2021, which ended in her heart being broken by Jennifer Coolidge’s character Tanya when she flaked on their plans to open a spa business together.
This was actually brought up again in the latest episode of the award-winning US series, when Pornchai suggested to Belinda this was something they could work on together were she to move to Thailand full-time.
Just two episodes remain in the current season of The White Lotus, with the penultimate episode available to watch in the UK on Sky and Now from Monday.