Aubrey Plaza suggests that her The White Lotus character Harper and Theo James’ Cameron didn’t draw the line at kissing. The show has drawn critical acclaim on all fronts, with Plaza recently garnering a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal alongside co-stars Jennifer Coolidge and F. Murray Abraham. The White Lotus was renewed for a third season in November, and the season 2 finale aired on HBO Max on December 12.
Plaza shares on Late Night With Seth Meyers that The White Lotus‘ Harper and Cameron may have done more than kiss. Contrary to what Harper told her husband Ethan (Will Sharpe), Plaza suggests that they “did some stuff” although there was “no penetration.” In response to Seth Meyers’ belief that they just “grabbed the other’s butt,” Plaza playfully says:
“I think I grabbed a little more than that.”
Harper & Ethan’s White Lotus Season 2 Finale Ending Explained
Harper and Ethan’s marriage is already somewhat on the rocks when they arrive at the Sicilian resort. This is further amplified by their friends and fellow vacationers Cameron and Daphne (Meghann Fahy), who seem like a perfect, content couple on the outside. The rift between Harper and Ethan comes to a head when Ethan insists that Harper has slept with Cameron out of revenge for his own suspected infidelity. In the finale, Harper admits that they kissed but claims they didn’t go any further. Still troubled, Ethan goes off with Daphne to a nearby island. The season closes with Ethan and Harper intimately reunited and reconciled.
On the surface, it appears that Harper and Ethan have a happy ending: Ethan has seemingly solved one primary issue — his lack of attraction toward his wife. However, they still have major issues that cloud their future: trust, openness, and possibly more infidelity. Viewers never get to see what happened between Cameron and Harper, so it’s unclear whether she tells Ethan the truth, as Plaza hints; in addition, Ethan and Daphne are likely to have cheated as well, entirely unbeknownst to their partners, which is supported by the fact that Daphne often finds ways to get back at her husband. The White Lotus expertly builds tension in these character dynamics and ambiguity by cutting scenes short to leave room for the audience’s imagination and own conclusions.
For this reason and many others, The White Lotus season 2 is credited to be just as good as — if not better than its stunning first season. The series greatly benefited from its gorgeous cinematography, sharp writing, compelling themes, and phenomenal cast. However, Plaza’s scene-stealing performance stands out in particular, with her ability to add to the show’s rawness and gripping tension. Her acclaim is well-deserved, and with the commencement of awards season, Plaza is bound to earn more accolades along the way.
