On February 10, female singer Lisa (member of Kpop group Blackpink) made an impressive appearance at the premiere of the TV series "The White Lotus 3" in Los Angeles, California (USA).
After HBO's teaser videos and images raised anticipation for Lisa's role as Mook in the series, fans continued to have high expectations as the singer seemed to be the centerpiece of the US premiere, with a very well-groomed appearance that stood out among the cast.
However, before the film aired on February 16, the famous American film magazine The Hollywood Reporter alluded to the disappointing nature of the role Lisa played in “The White Lotus 3”.
The magazine points out the pros and cons of season 3 after previewing 6 of the 8 episodes.
Writer Daniel Fienberg commented that writer-director Mike White has used the same old formula as the first two installments of this satirical series: “From the film's opening allusions to a shocking death to the deceptions and self-delusions of its roster of pretentious, wealthy, mostly white, mostly American protagonists seeking escape in the closed luxury of a lavish retreat, White has delivered his bitter critique of parasitism…”.
However, the director was praised for his fresh interpretation of the film on an old formula, typically by renewing the cast with prominent faces in part 3 such as Walton Goggins, Parker Posey, Carrie Coon, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Aimee Lou Wood.
However, the Hollywood Reporter expressed disappointment at the lack of representation of Lisa and other Thai actors in the series, despite “The White Lotus 3” being set in Thailand.
In the film, Lisa's character Mook is a health consultant for guests staying at The White Lotus Hotel. She has a sweet love story with security guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong). Besides, there is the regal demeanor of the resort's co-owner Sritala (Lek Patravadi) - adding to the plot related to the locals.
But the magazine describes these characters as “non-essential,” implying that they are minor roles that can be removed from the film without affecting the plot.
“The failure to make the Thai characters more complex detracts from the actors, especially Lalisa Manobal, who has plenty of charisma but doesn't contribute much to the film's appeal,” wrote the Hollywood Reporter.
“Even in one episode that featured Mook dancing as part of the resort's entertainment, there was barely any presence from one of the world's most recognized celebrities (Lisa),” the magazine further revealed.
The post was later shared on Reddit. Some viewers believe that HBO is using Lisa's fame to increase attention for the film, creating an advantage in attracting media attention.
While others think that it is inevitable that Lisa is just a supporting character, because she is an amateur actress with no acting experience.
Previously, in an interview with Variety, Lisa recalled the difficult early days of filming: “I was very nervous. I was sweating. At that time, all I had were thoughts like: I can't remember my lines. I was completely disoriented.”
But she quickly overcame the barrier to integrate into the film crew and connect with her co-stars during breaks, sharing about music.
Lisa also thanked her colleagues for helping her a lot in her first role.
