White Lotus' Sam Nivola defends shock Saxon and Lochlan scene in episode 5

17 March 2025, 13:06

By Sam Prance

Sam Nivola has also teased what the kiss means for the future of the Ratliff brothers in the show.

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White Lotus star Sam Nivola has opened up about filming his controversial kiss scene with Patrick Schwarzenegger.

As soon as the first episode of The White Lotus season 3 came out, fans have questioned the uncomfortable dynamic between the Ratliff brothers. Episode 1 ends with Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) asking Lochlan (Sam Nivola) what porn he watches, going to the bathroom to masturbate and Lochlan then staring longingly (?) at his naked brother.

The following episodes have been filled with tension between the siblings and this all culminated with an incestuous kiss in episode 5. Drunk and high after partying with Chloe and Chelsea, the girls dared the boys to kiss. Reacting, Lochlan then pecks Saxon on the lips before going in for a longer kiss and the scene has shocked viewers.

Now, Sam has defended the shock kiss scene and teased what it means for the Saxon and Lochlan going forward.

Read more: White Lotus' Patrick Schwarzenegger defends Saxon's relationship with his brother
Read more: White Lotus' Sam Nivola age, height, previous roles and who he's dating

Watch the White Lotus season 3 episode 6 trailer

Speaking to GQ, Sam said: "We shot it a few different ways, and we talked about it a lot." Sam then explained that the whole point of the scene is to make you uncomfortable: "I think at the end of the day, it was supposed to just be like they're all really f---ed up, and, of course, kissing your brother is incredibly wrong and weird and gross."

As for how Saxon and Lochlan ended up kissing, Sam said: "As is the case with The White Lotus, it's like these crazy actions and sort of heightened reality coming from really real emotions that are actually really relatable to your everyday guy. He just is desperate for his brother's approval."

He added: "He's out doing this partying drug thing with Saxon, which is a thing that Saxon keeps talking about, and all he talks about is sex. He's like, 'Sex is the main point of life. You need to get laid. That's what you need'."

Sam ended saying: "I'm like, "Okay. Well, in this charged sexual environment, what can I do to make you notice me and get you to approve of me?" And then, he does the wrong thing to make that happen."

Sam Nivola and Patrick Schwarzenegger in The White Lotus season 3 episode 1. Picture: HBO

In terms of what's next for Lochlan, Sam teased: "After that, everything changes for my character. It was basically like there's two versions of me. There's before that and after that, and that was a really important thing. But other than that, I don't think that is something that is a defining aspect of my character, of Lochlan."

He continued: "I think really that's supposed to be a red herring for the audience where really it's just [that] Lochlan just wants attention and he just wants his brother to like him. He gets really f---ed up and does something terrible."