‘The White Lotus’: Sydney Sweeney Got ‘Disgusting Glares’ From Resort Guests

Sydney Sweeney admits that she really lucked out when she booked a role in The White Lotus cast. Portraying the biting Olivia Mossbacher earned the 24-year-old an Emmy nomination. However, it also gave her an incredibly rare opportunity. When most of the world was locked down in their homes thanks to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Sweeney was at a resort in Hawaii, doing what she loves.

Where was ‘The White Lotus’ filmed?

The White Lotus may be a fictional resort, but it was shot in a very real setting. The HBO show was filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. This 5-star resort is marketed as a gorgeous island refuge and boasts three swimming pools and restaurants. Staying at the hotel will cost guests a very pretty penny, with the average rate per night being around $1,500. Sweeney, however, got to stay in the luxurious resort for free.

Sydney Sweeney gushes about her time making the hit HBO show

“It was definitely one of those experiences that I’ll forever be so grateful for and thankful for because it was during a time when we couldn’t be with family,” Sweeney shared with Who What Wear. “We couldn’t be with friends. We were isolated, but I was given an opportunity to be able to be surrounded by people in a very safe setting. At the same time, we’re all hanging out, having our dinners together, but we were all stuck in this bubble, and we weren’t allowed to leave the resort, and no one was allowed to visit.”

Sweeney shared that the guests at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea gave her dirty looks

Because Sweeney wasn’t allowed to leave the resort, she quickly bonded with The White Lotus cast and crew. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the producer revealed that she also made friends with the staff at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. The Madame Web star felt comfortable being herself and treating the resort like her home. However, that all changed when the hotel opened back up, and Sweeney was exposed to the hotel’s typical clientele.

“Toward the end, they opened up the resort to guests, and it became clear I did not belong,” Sweeney revealed. “I would go to breakfast in my sweatshirt and pajama shorts and get the most disgusting glares from the guests that I dared to show up like that.”

Continuing on, Sweeney shared that it was also really hard for her to watch the staff be treated poorly by many of the hotel’s guests. As she’d made friends with the staff, she found their less-than-ideal treatment to be “almost traumatic.” However, Sweeney admits that it was a keen example of art imitating life.

Will Sweeney reprise her role of Olivia Mossbacher in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 2?

“Suddenly we’re watching employees, our family, get bossed around — it added to the meta feeling of the show reflecting life,” Sweeney shared. Overall, Sweeney remains extremely grateful for her time filming The White Lotus. And while she won’t be returning for season 2, she’s hoping to reprise her role in later seasons.