NEW YORK – Sarah Catherine Hook, the actress who portrayed Piper Ratliff in Season 3 of HBO's "The White Lotus," recently opened up about her experience filming the series, particularly regarding a deleted sex scene that left her feeling "devastated" when it was cut from the finale. Despite her initial disappointment, Hook now expresses relief that the scene didn’t air, believing it would have felt tonally off amid the show’s heavier themes.
In an interview, Hook explained that the scene, which involved her character losing her virginity to Nicholas Duvernay's character, Zion, was filmed but ultimately omitted due to narrative pacing. Show creator Mike White revealed in "The White Lotus Official Podcast" that cutting the scene was a tough call. He noted that the finale was already a lengthy 90 minutes, and adding the scene would have extended it by an additional ten minutes. “I was trying to do too much narratively,” White admitted. “I was hearing that they were probably going to have to cut it, which was hard to hear at the time,” Hook recalled.
Upon watching the finale, Hook had a change of heart. “I was actually really glad that it wasn’t in it because I do think it would have been a weird interrupter,” she said. She agreed with White’s assessment that the scene had a “romantic rom-com vibe” that clashed with the show’s more serious undertones, including themes of enlightenment and familial strife.
Fans of the show have speculated about the placement of the cut scene, noting clues in the finale that hint at its existence. For example, Piper's ruffled hair and smirk before a dramatic moment involving her brother Lochlan (played by Sam Nivola) drew attention. Hook humorously pointed out another clue in the episode's final scene, where the siblings sit in a “three wise monkeys position” on a boat leaving the resort. “My little smile is like, ‘I just had sex for the first time,’ but then people read that like, ‘Oh I’m just a little princess, I love being spoiled,’” she explained.
Despite the scene's removal, Hook remains hopeful that it could still see the light of day. “I’ve been saying I will be demanding the release of a short film,” she joked. “Since the material is there and it’s so good, it’s so funny, and I would love to see it.”
Hook also touched on her character’s journey throughout the season, particularly in a pivotal scene where Piper grapples with her decision to pursue a year-long stay at a monastery. “I know I’m not supposed to be attached to this kind of stuff,” she says in the scene, listing her grievances with the monastery, including the lack of air conditioning and organic food. This moment marks a significant turning point for Piper, who acknowledges her spoiled upbringing yet resists change.
Reflecting on the challenges of filming this emotional scene, Hook admitted, “It was one of my first few scenes that I filmed. I hadn’t even really met the character yet. It was one of the most stressful, anxiety-induced days of my life because I was like, ‘This is her biggest moment in the show.’” She added with a laugh, “I think I blacked out that day. I was so nervous about the outcome of it, and I feel very proud of it, so thank God.”
In addition to discussing the deleted scenes, Hook shared the origins of the viral catchphrase “Piper, no!” created on set by White and her co-star Parker Posey. “While we were there on set, (Posey) was ‘Piper, no’-ing me the entire time,” Hook recalled. “Saxon (played by Patrick Schwarzenegger) would say a dirty joke, and (Posey) would be like, ‘Ha ha Saxon, oh my God.’ And then she would just look at me out of nowhere. I’m like, ‘What?’ And she’s like, ‘Piper.’ And then Mike would come over and he would just look at me and be like, ‘Piper, no.’”
This playful dynamic on set helped Hook navigate her character’s complex relationship with her mother, played by Posey. “It’s that trope of disciplining her daughter. Like: ‘Sit still, look pretty. Don’t have any opinions. Just be pretty.’ I think it’s great,” Hook said.
As the discussion shifted back to the finale, Hook reiterated her mixed feelings about the cut scenes. “I was gutted that the moment didn’t make the finale,” she said, but she ultimately agreed with White’s decision. “He made the best decision by not putting (the sex scenes) in because it would’ve been a rom-com. It was her rom-com moment.”
Looking ahead, Hook expressed her desire to see the deleted scenes utilized in some form, perhaps as part of a short film. “Piper needs to have her party girl era. It’s time to go for her,” she stated, hinting at the potential for further exploration of her character’s narrative.
As the buzz around the season continues, Hook’s insights into her character and the show’s creative process shed light on the complexities of storytelling in modern television. With fans eagerly awaiting any news about future projects, the hope remains that the cut scenes from "The White Lotus" may one day find their way back to the screen in some capacity.
