Though she hasn’t been around for 50 years, the filmography of actress Alexandra Daddario is quite extensive. She’s done everything from prestige TV (“True Detective“) to franchise films (“Percy Jackson“) to action blockbusters (“San Andreas“). But her latest project is a new dramedy series for HBO, “The White Lotus.” For this episode of The Playlist Podcast, we’re sharing an interview with Daddario as we talk about her new series.
For those unaware, “The White Lotus” is the new limited series from writer-director Mike White and stars Daddario along with an ensemble that includes Connie Britton, Jake Lacy, Steve Zahn, Sydney Sweeney, and more as they play guests at an exclusive resort. And as you might expect from a Mike White project, things don’t go completely as planned, as each of the characters deals with personal issues that bleed over into their time at this picturesque resort. All the while, a courteous staff has to (sometimes begrudgingly) care for their every need.
And according to Daddario, it’s working with Mike White that really excited her about the project. But it doesn’t hurt that the series was filmed in Maui during the global pandemic.
“Mike White is what sold me on the project,” she explained. “I would have shot wherever with him. I remember when my manager called me and said I got the job, she was like, ‘Two-and-a-half months at the Four Seasons Maui, that’s not so bad.’ And it’s true, especially during that period of time. We all felt very lucky in the middle of a pandemic to be able to travel and be in such a beautiful place.”
Other than her new show, “The White Lotus,” Daddario’s name is always brought up when a new superhero film is announced, as film fans always think she’d be great to play whatever superhero is available. Most recently, it happened when DC Films announced “Zatanna” was going into development. But for Daddario, she doesn’t follow the fan castings so much, as she just likes to focus on the roles she is actually up for.
“I have heard that,” she said about constantly being fan-cast in superhero films. “I don’t really pay a ton of attention to it just because if I get a role, great, and if not, it’s the reality of the business. I’m very grounded in reality as far as my job and what I want to do. I think it’s cool that people know me to the degree that they want to put me in a fan cast. I think that’s cool.”
“The White Lotus” airs new episodes each week on HBO. You can hear the full discussion below:
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