Shock-Inducing Truths: Arnas Fedaravicius Reveals What 'The White Lotus' Is Really About

Season three of The White Lotus has had more than its fair share of break-out stars and firmly among the pack is Arnas Fedaravicius, who plays Valentin, the impossibly hunky tattooed health mentor at the resort.

For much of the season he has been a sexy disruptor, a kind of wish fulfillment fantasy figure for female American tourists, and the trigger for the three ‘best girlfriends’, Laurie (Carrie Coon), Kate (Leslie Bibb) and Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) to fall apart amid jealousy, competitiveness and social hierarchy.

Yet we now know in the run up to the finale that Valentin may be more of a dastardly figure than he seems, apparently part of the armed gang – including his hard-partying “make fun” friends Aleksei and Vlad - who robbed the resort in .at the start of the season

In real-life Fedaravicius is neither a Zen sex bomb nor a thieving bastard - ah yes, acting - but actually a very funny and clever chap, who has studied philosophy as well as sociology and anthropology. Which may very well be a fresh peak for this thinking woman’s hot stuff.

“I do have an active lifestyle,” he shrugs when I enviously applaud his Valentin physique, “The description of the character was very specific. I thought I should aim to look a certain way because it was clear the archetype that Mike White was trying to portray. I've met these people. I've been in Thailand before and have friends who go there often. There's certain types of men of my age that come from regions like Russia or Eastern Europe and they have these specific stereotypical tattoos and lifestyles, so it's very important to me to try to live out the internal life of the character, but also physically kind of create a picture.”

Fedaravicius was born in Lithuania but spends his time between LA and London – East is his patch, he loves London Fields - and is best known thus far for Netflix’s Norse saga The Last Kingdom. But The White Lotus effect is about the transform his career.

After submitting only one self-audition, he received the role of Valentin. There were no additional call-backs; merely a message from his agent stating that Mike White needed him in Thailand for six months for The White Lotus Season 3. He fully immersed himself in this experience as the entire cast and crew resided at the Four Seasons resort, which served both as their living quarters and filming location.

After spending a few days at the Four Seasons, you start to lose touch with your previous existence," he remarks. "It's incredible how swiftly one adapts to an exceptionally luxurious way of life! Yet, there are times when you just wish to do something mundane to remind yourself of your humanity.

Let me make sure I understand correctly: You're part of an award-winning production, and you even have the chance to reside at a five-star hotel during filming. Could this be considered the ultimate dream gig?

“Indeed, I recall talking with several other actors at the beginning, mentioning that this character is like a dragon. In terms of the lifestyle and the creative freedom offered, it’s quite mythical.”

He frequently mentions awesome stuff such as how everything he does comes with significant creative hurdles. Even so, part of what the dragon required involved tackling these intense creative obstacles. Despite Fedaravicius having a distinct vision for Valentin, White’s approach involves continuously evolving characters throughout filming. To achieve this, the cast and crew participated in "breakfast forums," along with smaller reading and rehearsal sessions. This process ensured continuous development, pushing actors to explore deeper dimensions. Under White’s guidance, they utilized each actor's input to enrich character portrayals even more.

“We spent a lot of time talking in green rooms,” Fedaravicius says, “Everybody was very communicative and open to sharing their life stories. I spent some time talking to Michelle about meditation and mindfulness. With Carrie we shared books. These little things come into play when you start performing.”

Like the rest of the world, he lights up at the mention of Aimee Lou Wood, who plays the loveable Chelsea: “When I met her, we sat in the green room, and were talking about birth charts and zodiac signs. Then I'm watching the show I'm like, Oh yeah, that was her character as well. It's beautiful how, not in their entirety, but some aspects of these people, including myself, are in those characters. This dreaminess that Amy Lou Wood's character has, there's something of that in herself. She's a very magical person to be around.”

His expression brightens considerably as well when I mention Walton Goggins, who naturally portrays the dark and moody Rick.

“He’s a huge admirer,” he recounts, mentioning how Fallout was released during their shooting period, leading him to binge through it. "Whatever Walton does turns out great. Whenever he appears on screen, all attention centers around him. Despite his enigmatic nature, he also comes across as incredibly warm and gentle."

I refrain from using this term casually, but each time I encountered him, I became utterly captivated. This wasn’t due to hero worship; rather, it was his magnetic charisma. His vast knowledge astounds me, and everyone in his family seems equally educated and sharp-minded. During conversations with them, topics like the Ottoman Empire can come up out of nowhere. There’s always something stimulating to ponder or learn about in these exchanges.

This impressive lineup of actors caused some anxiety for Fedaravicius, which was evident in his initial scenes during episode one when he encounters the guests.

Meeting [Carrie, Michelle, and Leslie] on the first day made my legs wobbly. I admire each one of them as performers. My initial scene involved approaching them and introducing the hotel, during which I experienced an intense shaking in my leg. While I find this trembling exhilarating as it signifies vitality, part of me wished it wasn’t happening just then.

Nevertheless, this also resulted in his favorite Goggins moment.

Walton comes across as an intensely passionate person in the best possible sense. I recall there being a camera behind his shoulder capturing him interacting with everyone warmly. When delivering his lines to me, he glanced my way and gave a subtle wink. It seemed like a sign of approval or acknowledgment, which made everything feel truly enchanting.

Regarding Mike White, this relaxed yet charged ambiance is integral to his distinctive approach. Federavicius mentions that the script was exceptional, but he kept encouraging actors to bring more elements to enhance it further. As for Valentin, whose true character remains elusive, the emphasis was on restraint. "Was he malevolent? Was there an enigma surrounding him?" According to Mike’s direction, however, you should focus solely on being highly competent, kind-hearted, and supportive—eager to assist others. Let the narrative unfold naturally through those qualities.

As actors, we often anticipate having character arcs, but Mike says, "The show covers just seven days from someone’s life. People generally don’t transform drastically within such a short period. So, there's no necessity to emphasize a major transformation."

When it comes to nude scenes, Fedorovici includes his part as Valentin without going all the way with full-frontal exposure, whereas Jason Isaacs did not hold back and included such a scene. recently complaining Regarding the attention he has garnered and the 'double standards' surrounding male nudity, Fedaravicius finds it all amusing.

"I believe people get drawn into it due to the element of sensation," he explains, "While the main focus of these scenes might be different, they offer a brief look at certain aspects. Because the nudity isn’t persistent, viewers suddenly become fixated on it—asking themselves 'Did you catch that? Was it like this or that? Could it have been prosthetics?'”

I found myself at ease during my parts in the scene. This enhances the intrigue of what's happening throughout the series, and provided it has a reason for being there... I believe the overall focus of the show lies elsewhere, yet viewers often gravitate toward such eye-catching elements within it."

Certainly, we've arrived at what has shaped the response to Season 3. "The White Lotus" has consistently reveled in joyful rule-breaking, outrageous plot turns, and jaw-dropping scenes. However, whereas these elements previously fueled broader conversations about the series, the reactions this time seem more focused on them as mere shock tactics. Perhaps this reflects our current climate where superficial social media-driven noise clamors for instant recognition. This season’s talking points have included incest, explicit content, and even dental imperfections, turning the show into something akin to a sideshow spectacle.

The show doesn't leave much room for contemplation about its overall theme. This is something that the diligent Fedaravicius offers insightful perspectives on.

One of the deepest aspects of initially reading the script was pondering where Mike planned to steer this season and what would become the central theme," he explains. "It revolves around observing the ongoing challenges faced by individuals with a specific belief system as they encounter a new faith. The story explores how their lives transform from the perspective of local residents steeped in longstanding customs.

Depicting my character, I found the tattoos particularly significant. For instance, he sports a traditional Orthodox cross on one shoulder, contrasting with New Age Buddhist-inspired designs on the other. This blend proved intriguing as various religious symbols and practices from differing beliefs converge into a single persona.

This frequently came up during our morning discussions. While some performers might spend their time reading the Bible, others were strongly opposed to religion, and still, others adopted a more Buddhist perspective. It’s fascinating being among such a varied group of individuals with differing viewpoints and working together to create a series that continually explores themes of life, belief, and mortality."

White Lotus is about American tourists heading out of their safe worlds into other parts of the world that have different, often ancient traditions, and watching them unravel against this backdrop. Season three has more of this than ever: “They bring in their expectations and understanding of the world and all of a sudden are shocked that other people might see things differently. It shows how their perception of themselves changes.

It seems like many individuals desire to escape from themselves and their everyday issues and routines by venturing into distant places. However, once they reach those locations, instead of vanishing, these challenges intensify along with their personal characteristics.

Fedaravicius delves into his subject matter, inviting spectators to savor both the plot and its unexpected developments. However, he also prompts them to seek deeper meanings. It’s precisely this aspect that has garnered significant praise recently—not due to shocking elements, but for its incisive examination of contemporary life, our values, and the ways we deceive ourselves.

Maybe individuals would contemplate deeper elements of this and possibly reassess their connections," he remarks, "Their ties to affluence, to themselves, to those surrounding them, and to attachments, as the series delves deeply into various forms of attachment.

The attachment to a particular lifestyle rather than anything else, particularly during this time of year. In one part of the movie, Parker Posey’s character remarks to Jason Isaacs’ character, “I'm not sure if I could manage living in poverty.”

That's attachment in its rawest state. We are so fixated on our outward existence that we think without it, we won’t survive at all."

Up next for Fedaravicius is a phase following the White Lotus wave, whose current magnitude and velocity remain uncertain. his social media The project has gained significant momentum, and the media have started showing interest. However, he feels that he hasn’t fully experienced the impact of the showcase yet. He attributes this mostly to his limited outings recently.

I simply don't dedicate enough hours to being outdoors. Perhaps I ought to venture out more often. Something along the lines of, 'So, interested in some yoga?'

The White Lotus is currently available on Sky Atlantic.

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