Aimee Lou Wood, who stars in the third season of the hit series The White Lotus, has likened the filming experience to being part of a “social experiment.” The British actress, known for her breakout role in Sex Education, reflected on the intense and surreal nature of shooting in a luxurious Thai resort.
The new season of The White Lotus has already earned praise for creator Mike White’s signature exploration of wealthy individuals behaving badly in stunning locations.
In an interview with The Guardian, Wood described the unique challenge of living and working in the same environment for an extended period. The cast and crew were based at The Four Seasons hotel in Thailand for seven months without a break, something she found overwhelming at times.
“Living in a hotel, which also serves as our filming location? It felt like a social experiment,” she shared. “It was an experience I will never, ever forget. I’ll probably never go through something like that again—it was so extreme. The fun moments were incredible, so special. The ocean, the landscape, everything was majestic. Mike [White] is a genius, and everyone involved is amazing. But the circumstances were intense.”
Wood also recalled a moment when the long shoot started affecting her sense of self. “One day, I was having my hair done, and Miia [Kovero, the hair and makeup artist] said, ‘You need to go home. I don’t even know who I’m talking to anymore—Aimee or Chelsea.’ I had completely lost my sense of self. Everyone naturally becomes their character to some extent, but I genuinely didn’t know who I was.”
As per Deadline, Wood portrays Chelsea, a cheerful yoga instructor who is dating an older man, played by Walton Goggins. Speaking about the sharp, tense interactions in the series, she noted, “There’s something about Mike’s writing—everyone always seems on edge.”
Wood’s acting career took off with her role as Aimee Gibbs, a teenager dealing with trauma, in Netflix’s Sex Education. It was her first major role straight out of drama school, and her performance earned her a BAFTA award.