Mike White is bringing a little bit of “Survivor” magic to “The White Lotus.”
Some members of “Survivor” Season 50 are set to make cameo appearances within the HBO series, as the author confirmed during a virtual chat with host Jeff Probst through the season finale.
White first competed on “Survivor” in Season 37 before returning for the landmark 50th season, where he was eventually eliminated. The director has also previously featured former contestants, including fan-favorite Cirie Fields, in cameo roles on “The White Lotus.”
During a video chat on the “Survivor 50” finale on Wednesday, Mike White, the creator of the award-winning series “The White Lotus,” revealed that some contestants from the fact competition show will make cameo appearances within the upcoming installment of the drama series.
White made the revelation to host Jeff Probst, noting that Charlie Davis and Kamilla Karthigesu were the lucky picks to hitch the forged for “The White Lotus” Season 4, per Variety.
The choice continues what appears to be White’s tradition of featuring former “Survivor” players within the series. He previously gave cameo roles to contestants similar to Cirie Fields, Angelina Keeley, and Christian Hubicki.
Alec Merlino Had The Biggest ‘Survivor’ Cameo On ‘White Lotus’
The tradition of “Survivor” contestants appearing in “The White Lotus” began with Alec Merlino, who made a cameo appearance within the drama’s first season.
The “Survivor: David vs Goliath” alum portrayed Hutch, a waiter and bartender on the White Lotus Maui resort. So far, he has had the most important cameo from a “Survivor” player, appearing in five episodes of Season 1.
Speaking about his appearance on the show, Merlino said he didn’t think an excessive amount of about what he was stepping into when White approached him for the role.
“I used to be identical to, ‘Yeah, that sounds cool.’ I didn’t really know what I used to be stepping into,” the fact star told Access Hollywood in March 2025.
Mike White Solid Angelina Keeley And Kara Kay In Season 2
In Season 2, Angelina Keeley and Kara Kay made cameo appearances on “The White Lotus,” with Keeley playing a hotel guest and Kay appearing as a beachgoer.
Keeley previously told Access Hollywood that she had tried to avoid appearing on the show due to her poor acting skills, but White convinced her it will be “going to be fun.”
Meanwhile, Kay once said she was surprised that White gave her a task with lines, as she had initially assumed she would simply appear within the background “waving” or sipping margaritas.
“We got a draft of the script and realized, oh, we’ve lines, we’re going to say something. We’re going to be acting,” she said.
Natalie Cole And Carl Boudreaux Played A Married Couple
Season 3 featured Natalie Cole and Carl Boudreaux as a married couple staying on the resort as guests.
In accordance with Cole, White approached her about appearing on the show following his Emmy wins. She initially thought he was joking until he revealed that Boudreaux could be playing her husband.
The revelation each surprised her and sparked her interest, because it made her realize there was “going to be some humor” within the roles they might portray.
“Initially, when [White] and I first talked, it was just going to be a cameo, after which after we talked again, he sent me some lines,” she recalled in a conversation with Entertainment Weekly. “And it was quite a couple of lines, after which after we got there, he increased the lines much more. I discovered that pretty interesting.”
Mike White Has Been Praised For Featuring ‘Survivor’ Alums In His Series
White’s love for bringing “Survivor” stars into his series was praised by Probst in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last yr.
“I actually love the cameos and the way he uses people. And I feel that, too, speaks to Mike as an individual,” the veteran host said.
Probst added, “He’s in a position to be considered one of the Hollywood elite, when it comes to show creators, but he’s also in a position to do the show with individuals who will not be from Hollywood, after which invite them into his world and say, ‘Why don’t you come experience what it’s wish to be on the set of ‘White Lotus’ for a day?’ and, ‘I’m going to place you within the seat.’”