If we had one complaint about The White Lotus: Sicily in its first couple episodes, it’s that it all seemed rather… straight.
After the first, Hawaii-set season gave us one of our favorite gay characters ever in the tragic hotel manager Armond (our beloved Murray Bartlett), queer creator Mike White’s second ill-fated resort vacation has been largely focused on heteronormative sexual dynamics and toxic masculinity.
But the latest episode, “In The Sandbox,” upped the queer factor in a big way, properly introducing us to a whole gaggle of gays and their eye candy “naughty nephew,” while also providing space for a few of our characters to express their homo-romantic urges. Let’s get into it, bit by bit…
Jennifer Coolidge meets her gay fans
Though they popped up briefly last week, this was our first chance to get to know charming British ex-pat Quentin (Tom Hollander) and his cadre of partying gays, significantly increasing Sicily‘s percentage of gayness.
Quentin and co. can’t help but notice Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge), the “heroine of her own Italian opera,” which feels like a brilliantly meta decision on White’s part considering the gays have gone gaga for Coolidge her entire career. It’s not hard to imagine this happens to the actress anytime she goes on vacation.
Related: ‘The White Lotus: Sicily’ welcomes viewers to a room with a view… of Theo James completely naked
After Tanya and her assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) are invited to the beach club, the heiress quickly warms up to Quentin, sharing her full life story with him. By episode’s end, he’s invited Tanya to take a trip with them to Palermo, and it’s the happiest we’ve seen her all season.
Not to burst the big gay bubble, but is anyone else at least a little suspicious of these guys? With the specter of death looming over the season, we can’t help but wonder if these gents might have ulterior motives—how do they have all this money anyway? Maybe it’s because the episode went out of its way to remind us of Tanya’s “bad luck,” but we’re a little worried she’s got a target on her back.
White Lotus this week is so true cause the plot is just a bunch of gays wanting to hang out with Jennifer Coolidge cause she’s iconic
— dietcokemami (parody) ? (@jackEdaytona) November 21, 2022
the fact that she’s a gay icon in the white lotus universe too iktr pic.twitter.com/DGsaTBEYQu
— jp (@jayjaythotty) November 21, 2022
the group of euro gays in white lotus when they meet tanya pic.twitter.com/XusjtsEgRz
— ?.???.??? (@4phantasia) November 21, 2022
Do all White Lotus hotels have a gay manager?
In another welcome development, it seems Sicily may be following in the footsteps of the first season by giving us a gay hotel manager after all!
Though the cold and cutting Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore) has given us some of the biggest laughs (“Peppa Pig?”), she’s largely existed on the periphery of the story, only showing her softer side these past two episodes.
Things really shifted after receptionist Isabella (Eleonora Romandini) told Valentina how much she admired her, which made the stern manager immediately lighten up. This episode, Valentina was noticeably smitten with Isabella, going as far as buying her a gift from her favorite jewelry shop for… no reason at all? The irony here being that Valentina was just warning her employee about the unwelcome advances of men.
So, is there something sapphic brewing here, or is Valentina that taken by the fact that someone finally noticed all of her hard work? Either way, she’s a queen, and we have no choice but to stan.
i have evidence valentina on the white lotus is a lesbian……… pic.twitter.com/FcW4DnVdrK
— sarah shahi fans global (@050313s) November 14, 2022
valentina in the white lotus flirting with her female coworker pic.twitter.com/2Q1PxCJcdV
— female kendall roy (@rhanerys) November 21, 2022
i guess it’s a requirement for all the white lotus hotel managers to be gay i respect it
— danielle (@mirrorballfilm) November 21, 2022
Bro Code
Cameron (Theo James) may be the bro-iest of bros, but that hasn’t stopped the gays from wishing a homoerotic plot line between him and Ethan (Will Sharpe) into existence. With their wives away, the boys sure did party hard, and Theo wound up bedding both Lucia (Simona Tabasco) and Mia (Beatrice Grannò)—though many viewers noted how very touchy-feely he was with Will throughout the night, even landing a kiss on his cheek.
The morning after, they’re both a wreck, and Theo lays down beside Will to invoke “bro code”—he can’t have Daphne (Meghann Fahy) knowing the specifics of went down—and then tells his old pal, “I love you; I just want to be inside of you… I want to do stuff to you. I want to make you feel good.”
Look, we know this is just typical man-to-man fraternizing, but a girl can dream, right? We wouldn’t be shocked if Sicily is building to a couple-swap moment for these two pairs—is there any hope it could be a same-sex swap? Every time Cameron flirts with Will, he’s keeping hope alive.
cameron saying he wants to be inside ethan???? come on they are so fucking by the end of this season #WhiteLotus
— toph (@t0phersucks) November 21, 2022
Anyone else watching The White Lotus 2 get the sense that Ethan and Cameron might’ve been more than just roommates back in college? Ethan’s reaction to the events at the end of episode 3 has so many layers and two of them feel like heartbreak and grief. Is Ethan in love with Cam? pic.twitter.com/Kz9nKw9yPX
— ?????Sezin Koehler????? (@SezinKoehler) November 19, 2022
the white lotus plot thickens pic.twitter.com/Y15O8eCObT
— Connor Malbeuf (@ConnorMMalbeuf) November 14, 2022
Related: ‘The White Lotus: Sicily’ welcomes viewers to a room with a view… of Theo James completely naked
And introducing: Leo Woodall, the “naughty nephew”
Sicily really has been an embarrassment of (hot) riches, and it just keeps giving and giving—especially now that it’s let us get to know Jack and his devilish grin, who is (for some reason) vacationing with his Uncle Quentin and all of his gay pals.
We actually saw Jack last episode as he took a showboating dive into the pool right in front of Portia, but this was our formal introduction to the young playboy, and it was an eyeful. There was almost an animalistic intensity to the way her zeroed in on Portia and pounced on her with every flirty trick in the book, but it sure did work!
The White Lotus is officially why I’m gay now pic.twitter.com/2e3cuQUAOV
— Ryan ?? (@lostboy_1987) November 21, 2022
He even bluntly mentioned he put on his sexy underwear, which—lucky Portia and lucky us—we got to see in the episode’s closing moments. The jury’s out on whether or not Jack has a good heart under all that muscle, but, regardless, we have a feeling he’ll be coming to blows with “good guy” Albie (Adam DiMarco) before the season’s up.
Jack is played by up-and-coming British actor, Leo Woodall. Prior to The White Lotus: Sicily, Woodall only had a few credits to his name—including the Tom Holland-starring war movie, Cherry, and a guest arc in Peacock’ YA fantasy series Vampire Academy. However, he’s definitely a face you’re going to be seeing a lot more of: He’s got a role in the splashy Amazon spy series, Citadel, opposite Priyanka Chopra, and will be one of the leads of Netflix‘s romance, One Day, which is an adaptation of David Nicholls’ popular rom-com novel of the same name.
In the meantime, there’s plenty more Woodall to go around on his jet-setting Instagram, which is well worth a follow:
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
abfab
It’a a great show but this is not the time. My god, show some respect.
Neoprene
What are you upset about, abflab? What is Queerty not showing respect about? Do tell, sweetie. Get it off your breast, dear.
Rugby8
“Heteronormative” and “toxic masculinity” in the same sentence – In the first paragraph. Wow. Proving you’re “in touch”?
Give me a break.
Get the hell over yourself.
The gay men who helped provide the world in which you live Are EMBARRASSED.
Neoprene
Wokespeak blathering.
Ronbo
Yes. The community thrives on inclusion. It’s time to stop trying to undo our advances with such self-centered anger, angst and outrage. There is a time and place; and it’s not here.
BTW: Someone needs to tell Ryan Murphy that pushing pouty puffed-up lips is passey. I appreciate vaginas; but, I don’t want to see ’em on faces anymore.
BigJohnSF
Leo Woodall is drop dead gorgeous, and plays this character to be irresistible. Hoping we see those underpants come off. In the first episode (the part set at the end of the week) it’s Cameron’s wife telling the newcomers cheerfully “you’re going to die!” So the dead bodies probably don’t include any of her foursome, even though Ethan’s wife looks ready to commit murder after finding the condom wrapper.
bachy
Right on! You’d make a good detective. I thought Cameron and Ethan were going to be (among) the dead bodies, but if that were the case, Daphne wouldn’t have been so blithe… unless the bodies are discovered after that poolside conversation…?
The plot thickens….
Dick Gozinia
Thanks for your article. I thought it was fine. I also wonder if the group of gays has something evil in mind for Coolidge’s character. Maybe I misunderstood but I got the impression that the naughty nephew plays with the gay men when no women are around. I guess we’ll see. I feel sorry for Albie. Portia would be lucky to have him.
PinkoOfTheGange
Woodall and diMarco do the after show bit. There is a serious off camera bromance going on there.
Hank
After the homophobic first season ending, I don’t give a shit about this show anymore.
DBMC
How was it homophobic?
Ronbo
Hank, stop being a victim. It minimizes our actual struggle and achievements.
Hank
DBMC and Ronbo, another new day, another production that kills a gay man and nothing happens to the killer. Maybe you both just don’t care.
GreekKeys
How is a straight character who’s jumping a woman in the show make anything gayer. Or are attractive men automatically the gay spice?
cynthia_foxe
tired of that obese lady ms coolidge….
Ronbo
Only her lips are obese. But yes, the boozy act is completely played out.
abfab
You sound experienced, Ronbo.
abfab
Spoiler alert. It’s Sicily. They have con artists there. Wake up people. The condom wrapper was planted in the sofa cushions. One couple is trying to undermine the other couple. It’s not rocket science. It’s still a great show. Bravo HBO!