Aimee Lou Wood Confirmed That Mike White Worried Everyone Would Hate Him for the Finale
"He came up to me a few times and said, ‘Are people going to hate me too much? I don’t know if this is too far,’” Wood said of The White Lotus creator. Well, it was too far, Mike.
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On Tuesday, British GQ published my favorite post-The White Lotus finale interview with the woman behind my favorite character this season, Aimee Lou Wood. While the conversation didn’t include an answer as to what the hell is currently happening with the actor and her onscreen soulmate, Walton Goggins, it did offer a trove of other treasures.
Of her casting, Wood recalled hearing how hard Mike White, the acclaimed series creator and director, fought for her to be Chelsea (“It was honestly from the nicest place, but my little head goes: ‘HBO didn’t want me. And I know why HBO didn’t want me, it’s because I’m ugly.”). And of spending a bit too much time in America lately, Wood said she became frustrated with how obsessed she was with work (“I don’t want to not be thinking about fucking progressing my career for one second, because I don’t even fucking care about progressing my career.”). The real gems, however, came when she was asked about that shattering season finale, which not only culminated in her character’s demise, but her partner Rick’s.
Frankly, anyone with eyes could’ve seen the deaths of the story’s supposed twin souls coming, given Rick’s damage and Chelsea’s devotion to him despite it. Still, it was truly tragic to see those two wind up in twin body bags. And not even in the funny way that Tanya McQuoid-Hunt’s death was in season 2. According to Wood, even White had his doubts about it during production.