Spoilers ahead for The White Lotus Season 3 finale.
Despite the finale airing a week ago, those with Max subscription are still reeling from the wild finale of The White Lotus Season 3. My personal favorite storyline in the third season was about "The Ladies" aka Laurie, Kate and Jaclyn. Carrie Coon absolutely slayed the finale with her moving monologue, but I'm shocked another touching moment from this dinner wasn't scripted.
While some folks figure out how to watch The White Lotus Season 3, I've spent the last week re-watching the finale's most memorable scenes. That includes the last dinner shared between the ladies, where Carrie Coon delivered a devastating monologue about self-worth and friendship. Afterward Jaclyn and Kate tell Laurie that they love her, and it turns out that was actually improvised. Leslie Bibb revealed this during a conversation with Bustle, offering:
That wasn’t in the script. That was happening in real time. There’s a weird thing that happens with this show where you just feel very connected. Art is imitating life. I just felt like there was no acting in that moment.
How touching is that? The White Lotus Season 3 cast clearly bonded on set, especially as they kept each other company for months while filming in Thailand. That's seemingly why the ladies' words of love for each other felt so natural when Bibb and Michelle Monaghan said them to Carrie Coon during their final emotional scene together. And I'm shocked the moment wasn't already in the script.
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While this season of The White Lotus offered viral moments like the Ratliff brothers' kiss, many fans (myself included) were drawn to the too-real female friendship plot line. Being a fly on the wall as the three women gossiped about each other and tried to keep their frustrations at bay was thrilling television. And while they all ultimately survived the shooting that's been teased throughout Season 3, that didn't make their final dinner any less memorable.
Rumors have been swirling about feuds amongst the White Lotus Season 3 cast, largely thanks to comments Jason Isaacs made that promptly went viral. While the public doesn't know what really happened behind the scenes in Thailand, Leslie Bibb's recollection of filming the finale offers a lighter take.
While watching these three old friends gossip and compete for men's attention was fun, Carrie Coon's character in particular made sure that there were real emotional stakes involved. From the moment she cried in Episode 1 it was clear that Laurie wasn't feeling quite as happy and blessed as her two travel companions.
Of course, the Gilded Age actress finished off her tenure as Laurie by hilariously sprinting away from the shooting that occurred in the finale. So she didn't depart the White Lotus without one more laugh. All three seasons of the acclaimed dark comedy are streaming now on Max.