Sam Nivola
Appearances
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Well, I... Very, very grateful and very honored to get to represent Thailand as an actor in this beautiful role that Mike White has written for us. I really hope that we represent how sweet Thai people are. Because we try to make it as authentic as possible, as Thai locals would be. They're pretty conservative people, but they are emotional and they are sweet people.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
She's an actress. She's famous.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
I'm like that day to day and yeah. Yeah. For me, it was a challenge just to play a character that is very friendly, very shy. All I played before this was I always played almost like a bad guy all the time. So a bit more serious roles. But this was very, very refreshing for me because I actually found out that, you know what?
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Actually, I do have a lot in common with Guy Talk because I am very shy around girls, especially. And so I could actually really use just my own character in that.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
But, yeah, I think the one that was one of the most challenging is being so unfamiliar with sort of like, oh, like, you know, when the thieves are trying to leave and stuff, you know, how I'm grabbing them, how I'm like, like, just, you know.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah, I don't know what to do. Yeah, because otherwise I'd do it differently, for sure. Yeah.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yes, yes. But it was fun. The challenge was great. I got to explore my sensitive side. I really enjoyed that.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
I think from Guy Tok's point of view, he has been thinking about this for a while. Sort of almost planning out, how do I break this to her, and should I? Because that's what all the hesitation at that lunch table was all about, because I just felt like if I confess this to her, will this kind of backfire on me, and she might be like, whoa, I did not think of you like that.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
You're like a brother to me or something and just completely ruined the relationship. But yeah, so I think the way I thought in my head is that I've been staying up all night thinking about this. Should I ask her to lunch tomorrow? And then after I've asked her lunch, probably sitting in my booth and like, okay, how do I convince her that this is a good idea?
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Okay, like our parents know each other. I'm a good friend.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Hmm. I mean, I think it's close to how I am in real life sometimes, you know.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Something that could just be casual, like, hey, do you want to go on a date? You know, I always make it such a big deal. And then sometimes I might make them a bit, you know, put off. And it's happened many times.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Absolutely. I mean, all the way from the cast dinner where we first met, it was just amazing. Like the whole experience, you know, like meeting all the actors I've seen in different movies and different shows before. And then Lisa coming in into the cast dinner, like, you know, she made quite an entrance.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
in a very nice Elvie white dress. And then, you know, I was told by the producer, like, oh, Lisa's here. Ting, ting, ting. Come, come. And I was like, oh my God, oh my God. Your girlfriend's here.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah, yeah, yeah. She was so great because she broke the ice immediately. And, you know, we had a few drinks and they sat us together for the dinner. And after that, it was just very, very smooth. And we would just, you know, have lunches together, dinners together, and just... Get to know each other and make the connection authentic.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Just how they're able to just kind of tease each other.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah. I think he's in a little bit of denial when she goes, oh, look at those guys. They get to travel the world. They get good money. And I'm like... I like my job, you know.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah, watching the car. Yeah, it's great. You kind of wander around. But I think deep down inside, he did take that, what she said, and really think about it. And he does slowly, I think, push himself more, or at least try. So, yeah, I mean, everything she says to him, really has a lot of weight on it.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
I remember him being described, I can't really remember exactly the description, but it was definitely, you know, something that I was used to being cast as. It was like, you know, virginal, teen, really awkward, you know what I mean? I was like, God, this sounds nothing like me. Don't pigeonhole me. Yeah, exactly. But it's funny.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
It was one of the most straightforward casting processes I've ever been a part of. I mean, I've done jobs where I've had to audition for half a year and do 15 callbacks. And every time they're like, it's getting a little bit closer. It's getting a little, you know. And this one, it was like I'd sent in a tape. He was like, I love it. Let's Zoom. And then we Zoomed and I read a scene.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
And then the next day he was like, well, I love you. Let's do it.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
I was like, well, I'm flattered.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah. I was like, I think I'm a little too muscly and masculine and cool. I feel more like a Saxon person. Yeah, exactly. The only brutal part about it is that all of our callbacks, I spoke to Sarah Catherine and Patrick about this too, were all the day after Christmas. So we just had the most stress ridden Christmases where we were just like shaking, waiting to do this thing.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
And then of course, Mike is the nicest person in the world and I wound up being totally fine and we were stressing over nothing.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Well, I think that I, you know, I go episode to episode. I switch back and forth with my allegiances between my brother and my sister. And I really think it kind of actually has nothing to do with what they're preaching, with the lifestyles that they like to live and which one I think is better. I think it's more about like.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Which one of you at any given time will make me feel loved and supported and like all my character wants all Lachlan wants is is a friend you know I mean he's just a really really deeply insecure a lonely person that like Oh, you're offering me some sort of affection or attention or love? I will do whatever you want for the next two days. You know what I mean?
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Oh, but then you're going to offer it as well? I'll do whatever you want. In a way, they're two worldviews to their own chagrin. I hold no bearing on my choices in terms of which one of them I ally with.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah, I mean, I feel like I relate to that whole thing a lot.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
have a specific experience which is that I dropped out of college to become an actor and I sort of forced myself to grow up really fast and I like you know was working professional jobs at the age of 17 and moved into my first apartment when I was 18 which are all amazing experiences that I'm incredibly lucky to have had the privilege to have but Yeah, it's like growing up a little too fast.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah, exactly. And I think there's pros and cons to that. I mean, I think the moral of, like, my character's story is that either way, whatever you choose in life, whatever path you choose, like... you're going to be fucked in some ways and you're also going to really enjoy it in some ways and there's no right way. And that's kind of how I feel.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
I really enjoy the way my life is panning out right now and I feel really lucky for it. But part of me is also like, man, I wish I had like, tailgated at a college party. And yeah, I think everyone has a little bit of that push and pull. People want to grow up too fast or they want to stay a kid for too long.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah, it was totally fun to be the baby. I mean, it's funny, you know, like having Parker was always really like babying me in the scenes in a really sweet way. And it's honestly like comforting to have some amazing actress playing your mother be really like loving and kind to you, especially when you're so far away from your real mother.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Those two characters... Well, I think Victoria's just, like... incredibly threatened. Her whole dynamic of our family is that she thinks everyone wants something from us. You know, we have money. She thinks everyone is a sort of leech and that our family is this unbreakable unit and that everyone wants to fuck us over somehow.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it's just – and I totally know that feeling when it's like one of your parents says something embarrassing and you're just like, guys, just fucking cut it out.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
I think you couldn't have said it better. I mean, listen, at the end of the day, the show was written by Mike. My interpretation of it is that... The characters are all versions of him, I think. And they're all like splintered, exaggerated, heightened parts of his, of Mike's soul. And so I think as a result, he really cares for all of them.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
And even if he writes them doing insane, fucked up, murderous things, things, they're still sort of a part of him that he cares for. And there's nothing worse than a movie with like an anti-hero that you just actually hate because it's just boring. And I think you can feel in the writing his love for all of the characters, even the most fucked up ones.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Definitely.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
I think definitely that the tsunami video obsession is a sort of writer's tool by Mike to maybe tease some sort of disaster that the audience obviously knows is coming before even starting the show because that's the format of the show is something fucked up and crazy happens every season. And I think people that are obsessed with disasters are generally people who are really lost in...
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Because the whole thing about these tsunami videos, at least for Lachlan, is that it highlights the sort of meaninglessness of life. And the whole thing is like, wow, like in a second, you know, I can't remember how many, I think it was like 270,000 people died in that tsunami. And it's completely traumatized the country and there's still remnants of it today.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
That just highlights the fact that it can all go away in a second. And I think for someone like Lachlan, that needs to be the case, that life is meaningless because life is hard for him, emotionally at least.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
And that also plays into the whole thing of like Timothy losing his money and it's on different scales for everyone, whether it's like your whole city could actually be destroyed by a tsunami or if it's like this way of life that you're so used to could go away in a second. What are our values, basically?
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
And that's sort of the big question with our whole family, I think, is like, do we value our way of life or do we value just life and the people around us? Or each other. Each other, yeah.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Yeah, thanks for coming in. Yeah, well, this was so fun. You guys are really cool. I had a great time. Thank you.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Come on.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Really?
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
There are a lot of people here who do this and that.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Ep. 2: “Special Treatments” with Tayme Thapthimthong, Lalisa Manobal and Sam Nivola
Her friend is Jacqueline Lemon.