'Please Kill Me': Elizabeth Banks Pleas For The White Lotus Creator To Include Her In Season 3

Elizabeth Banks as Bosley in Charlie's Angels
(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Given that the HBO hit The White Lotus has featured the iconic talents of Jennifer Coolidge, Connie Britton, Michael Imperioli and Aubrey Plaza across its first two seasons, it's no surprise that Hollywood stars are jonesing to check into the hotel. Case in point, Elizabeth Banks, who used a recent TV appearance to beg the show's creator Mike White to hire her. 

While on an episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, the actress-director revealed to hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos that not only did she want to act in the critically acclaimed White Lotus, she wanted to die on it. The actress said:

I want to be murdered so badly. Kill me, please kill me. I don't know how it happens. Tell him!

There have been several dramatic deaths through The White Lotus' first two seasons (no spoilers though!), so Banks' reaction is on-brand for the whodunnit series. Honestly, if I were an actor, it'd be an honor to be killed on this show.

Ripa tried to help Banks' cause by pushing her own talk-show bona fides, adding: 

Everybody knows that we're Mike White's favorite talk show. Mike White, please put your friend Elizabeth Banks in White Lotus season 3 or 4. We'll take either one!

The guest joked that she was "writing [Kelly] a check" for aiding her in getting cast on the HBO series. 

I'm writing you a check right now. I love it. Who doesn't want to go hang out in a hotel with all those fun people and solve a murder mystery?...Seriously, it seems like a blast.

Elizabeth Banks is far from the only celebrity who has made their desire to star in the series publicly known. Jamie Lee Curtis, Hayden Panettiere, Bette Midler, James Marsden and Jennifer Aniston have all revealed their admiration for the show and their willingness to join the no-doubt star-studded cast of The White Lotus Season 3 too.

Aniston told E! News in March she was "obsessed with it," and she wanted to play the sister of Coolidge's character, Tanya McQuoid. She joked:

Did you hear it, Mike White? I want Jennifer Coolidge. I love her.

Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph echoed Aniston's sentiments, also telling E! News earlier this year that she's a "yes" for season 3 if Mike White wants to get in touch. 

Oh, honey, please. Call me, don't be afraid to just call me.

So far, we don't have confirmation of the full cast for the upcoming season, nor a set premiere date (it's likely going to be 2025, FYI). However, we do know that one fan-favorite character is set to return for the show's third edition: Natasha Rothwell's spa worker Belinda Lindsey. 

We also know the destination for season 3—Thailand! We've also heard that the newest season is going to be "longer" and crazier" than its predecessors. We've even thought up a few ways in which former Survivor castaways could make a fun cameo on the show. (If you don't already know, Mike White was once on Survivor and his season is amazing, go watch!)

So, it's not totally outside the realm of possibility that Elizabeth Banks or Jennifer Aniston or any of the other A-List celebrity White Lotus fans could potentially find themselves onscreen as guests of the famous hotel sometime in the future. We'll definitely be keeping our eyes peeled! 

And while we wait to see if the guest list will include Banks or not next season, you can stream Seasons 1 and 2 of The White Lotus with a Max subscription

Writer

Christina Izzo is a writer-editor covering culture, entertainment and lifestyle in New York City. She was previously the Deputy Editor at My Imperfect Life, the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York. Regularly covers Bravo shows, Oscar contenders, the latest streaming news and anything happening with Harry Styles.