‘The White Lotus’ Star Theo James Says His Cameron Would Have Sex With ‘Anything and Everything’

In White Lotus, according to James play the type of man you might see wearing a T-shirt that says “Happy Wife, Happy Life”—even if his acts of adultery don’t support his level of commitment that cheesy. Cameron loves his wife Daphne (Meghann Fahy), but he seems to passionately push hips with any woman he can. This list includes more than just Harper (Aubrey Square), the cynical wife of his best friend Ethan (Will Sharpe)—she’s first in it.

(Warning: Spoilers watching for Sunday night’s episode of White Lotus.)

Cameron, drooling with lust for the flesh, was like an ape. But he’s also a slimy, sharp snake, James said, using the metaphor when chatting with The Daily Beast’s Obsessed on Zoom before the penultimate episode of White Lotus Part 2. Despite sleeping with his wife several times during the trip and hiring prostitutes for her overnight, Cameron still harbors a sexual desire that he cannot satisfy. In episode 6, “Kidnappings,” he and Harper finally snuck out to get down and dirty. Or maybe not? We cannot see what happens behind closed doors.

And even though his wife, Daphne, acted indifferent to his slithering and puffing of chest, she joined in. Towards the middle of the series, while on a day trip with Harper, Daphne suggests that her first child isn’t actually with Cameron. She’s sleeping with her blonde, blue-eyed trainer. When Daphne brought up a photo of the aforementioned trainer, it was just a snap of her kids—but one with a light blonde bun with perfect blue eyes, unlike Cameron.

James said, confirming the rumor. “It goes very lightly, but the revelation goes deep. How is Cameron aware of that? How does that play into the dynamics of couples? Is she using that against him or is it purely a secret she keeps to herself to keep herself afloat in this complicated relationship?”

Before next week’s finale, James unpacks Cameron’s Hungry for Harperhomosexuality between his character and Ethan, and who he hopes will join the cast for Season 3.

Going into the finale, where do you think Cameron’s head is?

He lost power throughout the season. He started in a place with full authority. He’s rich, super confident and he dominates the quartet, literally and figuratively. But we begin to see his deep insecurities. He was a self-made rich man, and now his friend – someone he thought was a subordinate, someone he could manipulate – was richer than he was.

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He said a few things during the season. To Lucia, she said something like, “You’ll pay the price.” And he said, “Oh, I have money. It’s the only thing I have.” Then he also told Daphne, “Don’t cut my balls. That’s all I have left.” Those lines show that someone – although on the surface you wouldn’t think so, because he’s overconfident – is aware of his failures. If you find yourself with someone who has more [money]it suddenly changed his understanding of who he was.

He is losing his identity.

He wants to own a part of his wife Ethan, because he is losing power, but he is also losing control over himself. He is desperate to stay afloat, because his ego is diminishing and causing him existential problems.

What is the power rank in this quartet?

Women are more powerful than men. At first, Cameron prevailed. Ethan, in a way, has power, because he’s the one who says no to sex, he’s saying “cheer up”. At the end of the season, Daphne and Harper were actually the ones in the driver’s seat. Mike [White, the show’s creator] He likes pompous endings, but he doesn’t like endings. For example, in the first season, the characters of Alexandra Daddario and Jake Lacy, you would think there would be an ending but it’s not. I like that about Mike’s work.

Do you feel a spiritual connection with Alexandra Daddario and Jake Lacy’s couple?

[Laughs] Couples douching! On paper, initially, yes. Of course, both are symbols of white privilege, but they are quite different. That’s the theme of the show, how privilege transforms your sense of self and your psyche.

How about a third season where they all fight?

That would be totally fun.

Are there any villains — tech brothers, CEOs — that you rely on Cameron for?

He is a mixture of characters. A college student who used to work for Goldman Sachs. And another hedge fund guy I met years ago, this guy is a flamboyant extravaganza who’s really fun to be around, but also rather despicable.

You said you made Cameron always eat or drink something. Are you like that, just a person? Or do you have to learn to always have an Aperol spray on hand?

I’m definitely not like that. But Cameron, in a way, represents the animal. For example, there was a moment when Cameron and Daphne were said to be having a great time and then that was reflected in the other room where their relationship stalled. In the shot and improvisation, I liked the idea of ​​him kicking her out of the room like an ape. It’s Cameron’s logo.

Fabio Lovino/HBO

That also shows in terms of his absorption. I want him to constantly eat and drink, because he is trying to suppress the lust in him. That’s not just for sex, but everything around him: Most money. most luxurious. most successful. All of that, it’s part of his nature and what makes him interesting, but also what makes him loathsome.

What animal do you think he is? An ape, or a consortium of different species?

He’s definitely an ape. But there is one shirt he has that is reptilian. I remember how Mike looked at the shirt, “Yeah!. I like that shirt. It makes you look like a snake.”

fan yes also choose up about some homosexual tension between Cameron and Ethan. You actually tell him that you “want to be inside” of him. Does that chemistry have a purpose?

It’s funny, that line is in the script and some other lines are not. It’s not something we’re all about, but watching it, I can see where that’s coming from. First, Cameron—again, back to the animal—has his ability to fuck anything and everything on foot. That animalism isn’t constrained by frankness – even though he is and he’s married. He has a hunger inside of him. There is push and pull, there is competition, there is friendship, there is jealousy. Having all of that caught up in the sexual web, which adds momentum to it.

Will speak you improvised a series of small cheek kisses in the episode with prostitutes. Why so?

Because I love kissing Will. [Laughs] No, that’s based on people I’ve met [who are] bigger than life, bro-y. I wanted him to be physically dominant over the people around him, so he was always arm in arm, arm in arm. The kiss is an extension of that. It’s ownership, in a weird way – it’s what you would do with a child, a teddy bear.

Does your character hate Ethan as much as he hates you?

No. It’s more complicated. He really loves Ethan and he loves Daphne, and that’s what I need to tap into as an actor — there are certain qualities that are worth having as someone who seems irreplaceable. His prized quality is that he loves Ethan as a friend. But he was also extremely jealous of him. He was deeply threatened by this quieter and more contemplative man. He thinks he can dominate him, but if you’re physically dominant, that doesn’t mean you own someone.

How would you say he loves Daphne?

In overall. Meghann and I wanted to exploit that because they needed to be the antithesis of the other couple. They need to really enjoy each other’s company. As they were trying on clothes, Daphne found him funny. He found her amusing. He is still deeply attracted to her. He is proud of her. He truly loves her. But he thinks that, with wealth and power and gender, because he’s a rich white man, he can do whatever he wants without being sexist. He loves her, but he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with fucking two prostitutes. Or even try to fuck your friend’s wife! Because he thinks it’s all just part of a bigger game. While love, the thing where you settle down with your wife and grow old together, he thinks it’s separate in a strange, morphological sense.

Fabio Lovino/HBO

The viewers of the show really seem to want you and Harper to connect, which may or may not have happened in this episode. Why do you think the audience craves that relationship?

She hates him, but is also attracted to the animal. She is missing the animal, and he represents that. He doesn’t like her – her acidity, her judgmental view of them and the world around them. But he might also be attracted to her because of it.

We still don’t know if Harper cheated on Ethan with you, but she definitely hinted at it to tease Ethan. Is Cameron also playing this game or does he know nothing more about their conflict?

He’s definitely doing it on purpose. He did it on purpose from day one! He sees a void in their relationship – he knows it and he cares deeply about it. He is watching and listening. You know a little bit when he leans against the wall listening to them argue? It’s Cameron who cares about Harper, but also wants to win in a situation where he feels he’s losing.

Are Harper and Cameron teaming up against Ethan?

They are doing it separately. Cameron wants ownership and domination, while Harper wants to pull the animal away from Ethan.

Cameron is reading Bamboo Book by Anthony Bourdain, the book he “left behind” in his room when he was able to strike up a conversation with Harper. What is the meaning of that?

That is masculinity. Bourdain represents a man who is intelligent, but also very masculine. He is a tourist. He’s so sly. He’s an old wild man. For someone like Cameron, that’s the type of person he would respect.

Is there anyone you want to see in the next chapter, from one season or another?

I definitely want to see more of Daphne.

And if you make it come to life, will you come back for a third season, like Jennifer Coolidge did for this one?

Well, we’ll have to see if I’m bandaged or not! Let’s see if I make it. But yeah, whatever Mike writes, I’ll watch in milliseconds.