‘Bummed' Jennie Garth rant over ‘The White Lotus' season 3

Jennie Garth has revealed she came close to joining The White Lotus and admits missing out on a role in the hit HBO series left her feeling disappointed.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum shared that she auditioned for a part in the Thailand-set third season of Mike White’s Emmy-winning anthology, but ultimately didn’t make the final cut. 

While she didn’t say which character she was up for, Garth was open about how much the opportunity meant to her. 

“For me, one of the roles that I have recently not gotten that I was bummed about was one of the characters on White Lotus,” she said on her I Choose Me podcast. 

“And they shot that season in Thailand, which I would have really loved. So I was bummed about that. I’m not gonna lie.”

Season 3 introduced a fresh ensemble of memorable characters, including Parker Posey’s medication-dependent southern socialite Victoria Ratliff, along with the tense trio of long-time friends played by Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon and Michelle Monaghan. 

Given the range of roles, there were several parts that would have suited Garth’s profile.

Her admission adds her name to a growing list of actors who have tried to “check in” to the luxury drama. 

Grey’s Anatomy star Jessica Capshaw previously shared that she auditioned for the role of Kate in the third season, while singer Kelsea Ballerini revealed she went for the part of personal assistant Portia, eventually played by Haley Lu Richardson in Season 2.

As anticipation builds for Season 4, the series is preparing to move locations once again, with Château de La Messardière in Saint-Tropez, France confirmed as the next setting. 

The upcoming ensemble will include Chris Messina, Helena Bonham Carter, AJ Michalka, Alexander Ludwig, Steve Coogan, Marissa Long and Caleb Jonte Edwards.

Creator Mike White has also been in the spotlight recently, following the strong reception to the Thailand-set season. 

He explained that returning to the competition show Survivor almost didn’t fit into his schedule, saying, “Weirdly, if it had happened in any other time in the last five years, I just would not have been available. But when they told me the dates, I was like, ‘I could actually do that.’”

White added that while he remains deeply connected to The White Lotus, stepping outside of his usual creative space appealed to him. 

“I love my show, obviously, and I’m excited to go back to it, but it’s nice to think about something else, do something different, get out of my head, my little world,” he said. 

“Survivor 50 is such a huge event for so many people I know who are involved in the show, who were in the show, and also for me. So I just felt like this was a party invite that was pretty exclusive and I was like, ‘I can’t pass this up.’”

White’s return to Survivor follows his earlier appearance on Survivor: David vs. Goliath in 2018, where he finished as runner-up. He has also competed twice on The Amazing Race alongside his father, Mel.

While Garth won’t be checking into The White Lotus just yet, her candid reaction highlights just how sought-after the series has become, even established stars aren’t immune to feeling “bummed” when they miss out.