Fans of “The White Lotus” suspected it would happen, but still seemed shocked when Patrick Schwarzenegger’s character shared a kiss with his onscreen brother.
In last night’s episode of the hit HBO series, Schwarzenegger’s Saxon and Sam Nivola’s Lachlan were partying it up on drugs and alcohol with Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) and Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) when things took a turn.
After dancing in the streets during a local full moon celebration, the foursome retreated to a private room where they began a kissing game, first with Saxon and Lachlan each kissing a girl, then the girls kissing each other.
Then the girls teased the brothers to kiss, so Lachlan delivered a quick peck before going back in for a much more full-on kiss that lasted a few seconds.
The girls laugh it off, while Saxon looks stunned and Lachlan offers a smile.
Fans on social media were divided over the scene.
“Am I like the only one not liking this whole incest stuff with #WhiteLotus or am I just too woke…” one person on X wondered.
Another said, “I’m sorry. I love #TheWhiteLotus, but the brothers making out was WAY too much! Incest is gross! Was that really necessary to tell the story?”
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“The incest kiss on White Lotus is a no from me!!!! YUCK” declared a third.
Others joked that it wasn’t a big deal, like one person who posted, “Maybe I spent too much time in frat houses in college but I didn’t think the gay incest in last night’s episode of ‘White Lotus’ was that shocking.”
“Oh! Well.. gay incest is NOT where I saw that storyline going but like.. it’s kind of giving and I do hope we get a sex scene #WhiteLotus,” another said, supporting the twist in the story.
“Do you think the ‘White Lotus’ writers expected that people would be this feral for the incest?” wondered a third, referring to those who appeared to do more than merely accept the storyline.
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Schwarzenegger spoke about the scene with “Today,” crediting series creator Mike White with how he handled the scene.
“He wants to leave that up to the interpretation of the audience of what is happening,” the 31-year-old said. “Was a power shift happening? Is there a different power dynamic between him and Lochy? Is Lochy coming on to him? Is it the drugs? Is it the girls pressuring him? What is it? So, I think he leaves that open-ended for the audience to try to decipher.”
Saxon has been played as a bro-type, confident and trying to flirt with women at the resort, while Lachlan has been shyer and more easily pushed around by his older brother, making his bold kiss a surprising move that upends their sibling dynamic.
Schwarzenegger continued, “One of the themes really is you enter the White Lotus as one person and you leave as another. Who are you when everything that you thought you were is taken away?
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“And I think that’s something that’s really relevant and prevalent for Saxon. Him walking into the White Lotus as the most confident and sure person of who he is, and everything gets completely questioned in his experience there.”
Executive producer David Bernad spoke with The New York Post about the show’s big moment, also praising Emmy-winner White.
“Mike is brilliant, and I think those big story turns are not just for shock,” he told the outlet.
He continued, “There’s a specific reason in terms of the narrative storytelling, and the larger thematic idea Mike is trying to get across.”
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Bernad added, “As the season wraps up, you’ll see the purpose of that story turn. The show goes there for a larger thematic idea. I love that family storyline, especially the brother story – and it culminates in a very satisfying way.”
In a New York Times profile published Monday, Schwarzenegger spoke about the nudity required for the role, as well as what was described as “at least one disturbing sex scene.”
“Whether that’s uncomfortable or weird for Patrick, it doesn’t matter,” the actor said.
He may not have minded doing the work, but watching the show with his family, including dad Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a different story.
“I am a mix of things, I’m excited, I’m very excited,” he said on the “Today” show ahead of the season three premiere. “Then there are a couple of scenes where I think I’ll go to the bathroom, take a few minutes [to] break.”
