If you’ve been scrolling through social media lately, you’ve probably seen the name Sam Nivola everywhere. People are losing their minds over the third season of The White Lotus. But there is a funny thing happening: half the internet is calling him "Alessandro."
Let’s clear that up right now. Alessandro Nivola is the dad—the veteran actor from Face/Off and The Many Saints of Newark. The kid causing all the chaos in Thailand? That is his son, Sam.
Honestly, the confusion makes sense. They look alike, they have that same intense screen presence, and Alessandro has been incredibly vocal about his son's "unspeakable" scenes in the show. But if you want to understand why Sam Nivola in The White Lotus is the breakout performance of 2025, you have to look at the character of Lochlan Ratliff. It’s a role that basically redefines the "spoiled rich kid" trope we’ve seen in past seasons.
Who Exactly is Lochlan Ratliff?
In season three, Mike White took us to Thailand. We got the luxury resorts, the beautiful beaches, and, of course, the incredibly dysfunctional Ratliff family. Sam plays Lochlan, the youngest sibling. On paper, he’s just a high school senior trying to figure out college. In reality? He’s the emotional punching bag for a family modeled after the cast of Bravo’s Southern Charm.
Lochlan isn't your typical White Lotus villain. He’s not overtly mean like the characters we saw in Hawaii or Sicily. He’s quiet. Shier. He’s the one who just wants someone to love him, which makes his eventual downward spiral feel way more tragic than the usual "rich person problems."
The Southern Charm Connection
Mike White actually told the cast to watch Southern Charm to get the vibe right. You can see it in every scene. The Ratliffs—led by Jason Isaacs as the patriarch Timothy and Parker Posey as Victoria—are dripping with that specific brand of "polite" Southern toxicity.
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They are wealthy, they are from North Carolina, and they are hiding some truly dark secrets. Sam Nivola had to play against big personalities like Patrick Schwarzenegger (who plays his older brother, Saxon). While Saxon is out there being a loud, vulgar womanizer, Lochlan is the one absorbing all the family's redirected trauma.
That Controversial Scene Everyone is Texting About
We have to talk about it. If you’ve seen episode six, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The drug-fueled night involving Lochlan, his brother Saxon, and Chloe (played by Charlotte Le Bon).
It was messy. It was uncomfortable. It involved a kiss between the brothers that had viewers dropping their phones. Sam Nivola himself admitted in an interview with People that filming it felt "f***ed up" in real life because he and Patrick Schwarzenegger had become so close during the seven-month shoot.
"I think Lochlan regrets everything that happened. He is the orchestrator of his own downfall, and the last two episodes are him grappling with that." — Sam Nivola
This wasn't just shock value for the sake of it. It was the moment Lochlan finally broke. For a kid who spent the whole season looking for guidance from the wrong people—including the problematic characters played by Walton Goggins—this was the "unspeakable" turning point his father, Alessandro, warned us about.
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Why Sam Nivola is More Than Just a "Nepo Baby"
Look, the "nepo baby" conversation is tired, but it always comes up when you have a kid with two famous parents (his mom is the brilliant Emily Mortimer). But Sam has been putting in the work for years.
Before checking into the White Lotus resort, he was in:
- White Noise (2022) with Adam Driver.
- Maestro (2023) playing Leonard Bernstein’s son.
- The Perfect Couple (2024) on Netflix.
Actually, The Perfect Couple is the reason many people felt a sense of déjà vu. In that show, he also played the youngest son in a wealthy, murderous family. It’s become his niche. But while his character in the Netflix hit was mostly innocent, Sam Nivola in The White Lotus shows a much darker, more complex range. He’s not just a victim of his family; he’s a participant in their decay.
Filming in Thailand: The Real Behind-the-Scenes
The production was massive. They filmed for seven months across Koh Samui, Phuket, and Bangkok. They basically took over several Four Seasons and Anantara resorts.
While the show makes the vacation look like a nightmare, the cast was apparently having the time of their lives—mostly. Sam mentioned being "terrified" during the boat scenes and the Full Moon Party sequences. If you’ve ever been to a real Full Moon Party in Thailand, you know they are chaotic. Now imagine trying to film a scripted HBO drama in the middle of that madness.
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The physical environment clearly bled into the performances. You can see the sweat, the exhaustion, and the genuine disorientation in Lochlan’s eyes as the season progresses.
What’s Next for the Nivola Dynasty?
Alessandro Nivola isn't slowing down—he’s got Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale and Fantasy Life coming up in 2026. But the spotlight has officially shifted.
Sam Nivola is currently filming a comedy called Driver’s Ed with Bobby Farrelly. It’s a pivot from the heavy, "unspeakable" drama of Mike White’s world, which is probably good for his mental health.
If you're looking for actionable ways to keep up with the fallout of season three or want to dive deeper into the Ratliff family lore, here is what you should do:
- Watch the "Southern Charm" inspiration: If you want to see exactly what Jason Isaacs and Sam Nivola were mimicking, check out the early seasons of the Bravo reality show. The "old money" Southern accents are spot on.
- Revisit "The Perfect Couple": To see the evolution of Sam’s acting, watch him as Will Winbury. It’s like a "lite" version of Lochlan Ratliff.
- Check the filming locations: If you’re planning a trip to Thailand, the specific spa scenes were filmed at the Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas. Just try to avoid the family drama while you're there.
The third season proved that the show doesn't need Jennifer Coolidge to stay relevant. It just needs a fresh batch of terrible people in a beautiful place. And with Sam Nivola leading the pack of "new generation" guests, the future of the series looks appropriately bleak.