Murray Bartlett did not expect shock ‘The White Lotus’ finale scene to be ‘so explicit’
The former Looking star admits he was "shocked" by the scene that's had viewers talking.
Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Murray Barlett in The White Lotus
Murray Bartlett has discussed his shock pooping scene in last weekend’s final episode of hit show The White Lotus.
The actor, known to many as Dom in Looking, plays troubled Hawaiian hotel manager Armond in the HBO murder mystery drama.
And after generating headlines earlier this month for his rimming scene with co-star Lukas Gage, the star’s got the world talking once again with his character’s shocking antics.
“I give great props to the props department”
The 50-year-old told Esquire of the scene (in which Armond gets revenge on a guest he’s feuding with by doing the deed): “All I can say is that when I saw it, I was shocked. I did not expect that it was going to be so explicit and look so real. I think it’s so brilliant in terms of the shock value.
“It was very methodically done, and very respectfully done, for me, which was really great. Those scenes are always weird to do and something like that, obviously it’s just going to be awkward. There’s no way around it. Who’s going to be comfortable taking a shit in a suitcase with your pants around your ankles? All I can say is I give great props to the props department. They did an amazing job with it. Maybe talk to the make-up department.”
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HBO has described the premise of The White Lotus as ‘a sharp social satire following the exploits of various employees and guests at an exclusive Hawaiian resort over the span of one highly transformative week.
“As darker dynamics emerge with each passing day, this biting six-episode series gradually reveals the complex truths of the seemingly picture-perfect travelers, cheerful hotel employees, and idyllic locale itself.”
Murray – whose character descends into drug and alcohol abuse throughout the show – also addressed the pooping scene in an interview with EW, saying: “We didn’t think we were shooting that day. And we were in makeup and getting ready, and then suddenly we’re into that stuff. So maybe that’s the best way to do it. I didn’t have any time to really worry about it. I mean, I’d obviously thought about it before, but we were just kind of thrown into it.
“By that stage, it was so much fun making this show, and we all felt so lucky every day, because we were shooting the show in Hawaii with this amazing group of people, with awesome scripts, in the middle of a pandemic. So it was kind of dreamy. And [director Mike White] sets this tone of fun and play on set. We were well into shooting by then, so I felt really comfortable and totally trusted Mike, and everyone was super respectful.
“However, I’m s**ting in a suitcase. So it’s just going to be weird. You just can’t get away from it.”
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