Mike White is bringing a bit of “Survivor” magic to “The White Lotus.”
Some members of “Survivor” Season 50 are set to make cameo appearances in the HBO series, as the writer confirmed during a virtual chat with host Jeff Probst during 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 at the “Survivor 50” finale on Wednesday, Mike White, the creator of the award-winning series “The White Lotus,” revealed that some contestants from the reality competition show will make cameo appearances in 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 join the cast for “The White Lotus” Season 4, per Variety.
The decision continues what appears to be White’s tradition of featuring former “Survivor” players in the series. He previously gave cameo roles to contestants such as 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 in the drama’s first season.
The “Survivor: David vs Goliath” alum portrayed Hutch, a waiter and bartender at the White Lotus Maui resort. To date, he has had the largest cameo from a “Survivor” player, appearing in five episodes of Season 1.
Speaking about his appearance on the show, Merlino said he did not think too much about what he was getting into when White approached him for the role.
“I was just like, ‘Yeah, that sounds cool.’ I didn’t really know what I was getting into,” the reality star told Access Hollywood in March 2025.
Mike White Cast 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 because of her poor acting skills, but White convinced her it would be “going to be fun.”
Meanwhile, Kay once said she was surprised that White gave her a role with lines, as she had initially assumed she would simply appear in the background “waving” or sipping margaritas.
“We got a draft of the script and realized, oh, we have 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 at the resort as guests.
According to Cole, White approached her about appearing on the show following his Emmy wins. She initially thought he was joking until he revealed that Boudreaux would be playing her husband.
The revelation both surprised her and sparked her interest, as it made her realize there was “going to be some humor” in the roles they would portray.
“Initially, when [White] and I first talked, it was just going to be a cameo, and then when we talked again, he sent me some lines,” she recalled in a conversation with Entertainment Weekly. “And it was quite a few lines, and then when we got there, he increased the lines even more. I found 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 year.
“I really love the cameos and how he uses people. And I think that, too, speaks to Mike as a person,” the veteran host said.
Probst added, “He’s able to be one of the Hollywood elite, in terms of show creators, but he’s also able to do the show with people who are not from Hollywood, and then invite them into his world and say, ‘Why don’t you come experience what it’s like to be on the set of ‘White Lotus’ for a day?’ and, ‘I’m going to put you in the seat.’”
