'It Was Painful': Sam Nivola Opens Up About Reaction To White Lotus Incest Scene

Sam Nivola at the premiere of The White Lotus season three in FebruaryFew shows or films have captured the whole world’s attention this year quite like the most recent season of The White Lotus managed to.However, cast member Sam Nivola has admitted that being part of the public conversation to that extent wasn’t always the easiest thing.And when Sam’s character found himself in a number of sexual situations with his own brother, the actor admitted to Variety that the scrutiny became quite difficult to deal with.“It was at times painful,” he said of the public discourse surrounding the Ratliff family, and his character, Lochlan, in particular. “It’s hard when people view your character as a monster or pervert or freak.”Sam continued: “It was hard feeling like people had lost sympathy for this guy that I lived inside. I got a little defensive.“You have to love your character, otherwise you’re fucked. My character jerked off [his brother]. I don’t like that. It’s a bad thing he did. But I try not to pass judgment.”Sam Nivola's character Lochlan performs a sex act on his brother in The White LotusHe went on to say that he’s finding a lot of offers coming in to play “socially awkward, virginal kids who are a little weird” since The White Lotus, which is why he’s happy that his next projects, a prestige mystery drama and a bawdy comedy, will see him stepping outside of the role that shot him to global fame.“I’m starting to feel a little boxed in by the characters I’ve played in my career,” he added.“But I’m also finally getting offers to do things where I’m a little more grown up. Hopefully the next one will be something a little different.”Introducing Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood cover star: Sam Nivola ⭐Read the cover story on Aug. 7. pic.twitter.com/2VLzbp6qtp— Variety (@Variety) August 5, 2025Earlier this year, Sam repeatedly spoke out in defence of his White Lotus character, as things began to take an incestuous turn between Lochlan and his brother Saxon.“The thing on the boat is Lochlan’s tragically misguided attempt at being like, ‘So, you’re the sex guy. Let’s do something in that realm and try to connect in some way’,” he said after the scene ended. “It’s obviously a big swing and a miss.”Elsewhere in his latest Variety interview, Sam also fired back at critics who’ve branded him a “nepo baby” due to the fact that both of his parents are also prolific actors.Read his full interview in Variety’s Young Hollywood issue.READ MORE:Patrick Schwarzenegger Reveals His Real First Impression Of Outrageous White Lotus Incest PlotSam Nivola Reveals Why Filming White Lotus Threesome Left Him ‘On The Verge Of Passing Out’Patrick Schwarzenegger Addresses Claims He Was Uncomfortable Shooting White Lotus Kiss

Comments

Breaking news

‘I was gardening when armed police arrested me – they thought I was an extremist’

Metro

Comments

Breaking news

‘I was gardening when armed police arrested me – they thought I was an extremist’

M6 closed after serious crash involving overturned lorry

Trump and Putin set to meet in Alaska next week – what will happen?

Woman dies after being pulled from water at Skegness beach

The Case That Could Test The Lengths Of Trump’s Military Power

5 Ways Social Media Is Ruining Your Sex Life

These Parenting Styles Are Red Flags, According To Experts

New Zealand and Australia seek closer military ties following Chinese live-fire naval exercise

Gaza latest: Emergency meeting set for UN Security Council as Israel plans military takeover

Times Square shooting: Three people injured after gunman opens fire near New York’s tourist spot

Trump says he will meet Putin for Ukraine peace talks

Inside Israel’s plan to seize full military control of Gaza

Wednesday Season 2 Cast: Here's Where You've Seen The New Stars Before

Freaky Friday: 14 Things You Probably Never Knew About The Disney Classic

The 5 Body Parts You Keep Forgetting To Clean (And How Often You Should Clean Them)

Pete Buttigieg Sums Up How Trump Makes Our Lives Worse In Refreshingly Simple Way

Your Adult Children Fell Out. Don't Make These Mistakes Now They're Not Speaking

Taraji P. Henson Opens Up About A Painful Moment While Filming Hidden Figures

JD Vance Pretends South Park Jokes About Him Are Compliments — And Gets Big Reality Check

3 Months Ago, I Was Homeless. Then I Joined OnlyFans — And My Life Changed.

Rosie O'Donnell Spots 'Dangerous' Reason Behind Trump White House Attacking The View

Trump Wildly Claims Wall Street Journal And China Are In Cahoots Amid Epstein Lawsuit

He Asked For Nudes Before We Even Kissed And 5 Other Red Flags I Missed As A Dating Writer

British girl, 5, dies after drowning in swimming pool on holiday in Spain

‘Bodies on the ground’ after shooting in New York’s Times Square

Banksy London Map shows where to see street artist’s best graffiti

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump sets time and place for Putin summit and expects ‘swapping of territories’

Police outnumber anti-migrant protesters outside Islington hotel

Photos of the World's Ugliest Dog Contest held in California

Trader's final chilling message as he takes deadly poison in court when he's jailed

Times Square shooting LIVE: 'Bodies on the ground after multiple people shot at New York hotspot'

'I'm a doctor and this is how much water you should be drinking in a heatwave'

Kate Middleton's strict advice from key royal that she follows to this day

Sarah Ferguson bombshell claims - 'divorce regret, reckless affairs and Andrew ultimatum'

Red Arrows mount flypasts across UK - where and when to see them

Kemi Badenoch hit with bad news as serial killer confirmed as proud Tory

School violence horror with grim rise in pupil attacks and teachers 'bitten, kicked and punched'

'My Italian-style heatwave hack will keep you cool in extreme temperatures'

Catfish victims say there was 'no accountability' after they received unwanted adult content

Female pilots 'better and more accurate than men in high-pressure flight situations'

City trader's horror deadly poison death live on camera as he's jailed

BRIAN READE: Starmer is petrified by Trump but UK must act on Gaza horror

NHS rolls out 'Amazon style' service so patients can get their medicines

Dentist slowly killed wife by poisoning smoothies and tried to recruit daughter to cover tracks

'Prince Harry must stop being a whinging victim - one thing can save him now'

Dow and England start assault on their 'Everest'

Rodri has had injury setback, says Guardiola

Missing And Just Like That Already? This Forgotten Sex And The City Spin-Off Is Also Streaming

'It Was Painful': Sam Nivola Opens Up About Reaction To White Lotus Incest Scene

Hiroshima and Nagasaki 80 years later – an anniversary we can’t forget

Powerful AP photos show the scars of a survivor of the Nagasaki atomic bombing

Death of NYPD officer spotlights rise of Bangladeshi immigrants within ranks

Why Trump's tariffs could be a disaster for Brazil's acai industry and American consumers

As electric bills rise, evidence mounts that data centers share blame. States feel pressure to act

As federal takeover threats loom, the city of Washington waits for the White House to make its move

Andrew Cuomo ridiculed after ‘nepo baby’ tweet challenging Zohran Mamdani to ‘heavyweight bout’

Retiring and relocating? Take a holistic approach

Homeowners warned never post pictures of your home showing 3 details or risk break-in

Processing Scots waste abroad is tipping point, we should recycle here

Woman trapped in house of horrors as leaky flat above pours water into home