Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 5, “Full-Moon Party.”
The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 3 features another surprise A-lister cameo: Sam Rockwell plays Rick Hatchett’s pal, Frank. In the pair’s biggest scene together, Frank shares the salacious story of his life since they last saw each other – and there’s even more to Frank’s tale than meets the eye!
Frank’s Story in The White Lotus Season 3, Recapped
Sam Rockwell’s Frank fills Rick in on his recent history midway through The White Lotus Season 3’s fifth installment, “Full-Moon Party.” When Rick questions why Frank has ordered tea at a Bangkok hotel bar, Frank reveals that he’s now 10 months sober. Pressed further, Rick’s buddy explains that he gave up alcohol after deciding he’d taken the hard-partying lifestyle he once enjoyed too far, and finding religion. But that barely scratches the surface of Frank’s journey of self-discovery.
Related: The White Lotus Season 3 Just Revealed the REAL Reason Rick Came to Thailand
It turns out that after relocating to Thailand – implicitly, because he was a wanted man in the US – Frank succumbed to sex addiction. Eventually, Frank had an epiphany: he didn’t want to sleep with Asian women, he wanted to be one. A period of sexual exploration followed, with Frank trying out a new, female persona. Ultimately, he decided he wouldn’t find any answers about his true inner self via sex and substance abuse, quit them both, and embraced Buddhism.
What’s the Point of Frank’s Story in The White Lotus Season 3?
Ostensibly, the story Frank tells Rick is simply a way for The White Lotus creator Mike White to establish the former’s character. And it’s a worthwhile platform for showcasing Oscar-winner Sam Rockwell’s considerable talents as an actor, too. However, apart from those things, the real purpose of Frank’s story is to further reinforce some of The White Lotus Season 3’s central themes.
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Since its first episode, the HBO comedy-drama’s third season has interrogated the contrasting nature of Eastern and Western culture and philosophy. It’s also framed Thailand as a place that people from overseas visit because they’re either seeking or hiding from something. As someone who fled to the country, discovered something new about himself, and finally found peace in Buddhist teachings, Frank embodies all of these themes.
The White Lotus Season 3 is currently airing on HBO and streaming on Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays.
Published: Mar 17, 2025 2:00 AM UTC