Just In: Jennifer Coolidge and Mike White Are Coming to Australia to Chat About 'The White Lotus'

There are many reasons to thank Mike White, creator and writer of The White Lotus, for bringing the hit HBO series to our screens. He's responsible for one of the best TV shows of both 2021 and 2022 — a program that has weaponised luxurious settings, helped set travel itineraries, thoroughly eaten the rich, spun twisty murder-mysteries, and kept viewers guessing throughout each and every episode of both season one and season two. He's also helped shower affection and attention upon the one and only Jennifer Coolidge, a screen icon who always deserves such love. Indeed, if it wasn't for White and The White Lotus, the world wouldn't have had the joy that is Coolidge's various awards speeches for playing Tanya McQuoid.

For folks in Sydney on Saturday, June 10, worshipping the White-and-Coolidge pairing — hearing Coolidge talk about her time on The White Lotus, too — won't just involve checking out Emmy and Golden Globe clips. In huge news in general, and for the Vivid Sydney lineup, the duo is coming to the Harbour City for what's set to be the biggest in-conversation session of the 23-day, 300-plus-event festival.

HBO

While Vivid dropped its program back in March, it has been making additions since, including literally underground light and laser show Dark Spectrum and now this. Unsurprisingly, the Vivid team has dubbed its latest addition one of the biggest announcements in the festival's 13-year history — which is no small feat for an event that's seen everyone from The Cure to Robert Pattinson and Spike Lee grace its bill in past years.

Coolidge and White won't just chat about The White Lotus, McQuoid's utter lack of luck in love and a certain fateful boat ride — and, on White's part, likely skirt around answering where the third season will be set (the word so far: Thailand). They'll also discuss their full careers, and both have plenty to dive into.

Coolidge has been a screen presence for years, thanks to parts in everything from American Pie, Best in Show and the Legally Blonde franchise through to Party Down's original run, Joey and Promising Young Woman. As for White, he's written the screenplay for School of Rock, and acted in it — and given the TV-watching world the Laura Dern-starring Enlightened, which he also appeared on. He has Year of the Dog and Brad's Status on his directing resume as well, and penned and produced episodes of Dawson's Creek and Freaks and Geeks. Also, he was famously an Amazing Race and Survivor contestant.

Benjamin Law will be asking the questions at this in-conversation event, which takes place at Aware Super Theatre, ICC Sydney.

Tickets are on sale now — and they'll get snapped up quicker than McQuoid falls in love.

"We're thrilled to share that The White Lotus creator Mike White and star of the series Jennifer Coolidge will join this year's Vivid Sydney lineup. Securing these huge megastars cements Vivid Sydney 2023 as the biggest and most culturally relevant program yet," said Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini, announcing the addition to the fest's program.

"This exclusive event will allow audiences to see behind the curtain on what has become a massive cultural zeitgeist and hear from two of the hottest figures in the creative industries right now."

Vivid Sydney 2023 will run from Friday, May 26–Saturday, June 17, with Mike White and Jennifer Coolidge in Conversation taking place on Saturday, June 10 at Aware Super Theatre, ICC Sydney. For further information and tickets, head to the event's website.

Top image: HBO.