How Natasha Rothwell’s Life Brought Her to “The White Lotus”
From American Masters: Creative Spark by American Masters | PBS
August 26, 2025 · 34 min · Season 8 · Episode 7
About this episode
Natasha Rothwell discusses her role as Belinda in The White Lotus and the importance of diverse storytelling in Hollywood.
Actress Natasha Rothwell returns as Belinda in The White Lotus Season 3, a role that’s earned her two Emmy nominations and cemented her status as the show’s moral center. In this episode, Rothwell shares how she connects to Belinda’s journey of self-discovery and how she collaborated with creator Mike White to bring greater nuance to the character. She reflects on the importance of diverse storytelling in Hollywood, the inspiration she drew from actress Nell Carter, and why she believes the arts are an empathy machine. Rothwell also opens up about her experience as a neurodivergent creator, the power of destigmatizing diagnoses, and the untapped potential of art. As she puts it, “From water lilies to Lily Tomlin, it’s all awesome.”
People in this episode
Guest: Natasha Rothwell
Topics covered
- self-discovery
- diverse storytelling
- neurodivergence
- Emmy nominations
- character development
Keywords
- The White Lotus
- Mike White
- Nell Carter
- empathy machine
- art
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The White Lotus, The White Lotus Season 3, Emmy
Places: Hollywood
More episodes of American Masters: Creative Spark
- Why Atsuko Okatsuka’s Comedy Connects Across Cultures · June 5, 2026 · 30 min
- Greg Kinnear on Acting, AI, and Why Movies Still Matter · May 22, 2026 · 28 min
- Chris Fleming Embraces the Chaos · May 8, 2026 · 39 min
- How Leslie Jones Became a Comedian · December 19, 2025 · 31 min
- Phoebe Robinson Shows Her Work · October 17, 2025 · 32 min
- Fantasmas: Julio Torres on Art Surviving in Late-Stage Capitalism · October 3, 2025 · 34 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the American Masters: Creative Spark podcast page.