‘The White Lotus’: Haley Lu Richardson Thinks Portia Is a Lot Like Tanya
The White Lotus is now done with its second season, and one notable character is Portia. Over the course of Season 2, many viewers have theorized about where her character is heading, while others have criticisms about her.
People have also noticed that Portia acts similarly to Tanya. Even the character’s actor, Haley Lu Richardson, mentioned how the two are very alike. Recently, the star explained what she thinks about Portia and her relationship with Tanya in an interview.
Haley Lu Richardson debuts as Portia in Season 2
Season 2 of The White Lotus introduced new faces to the main cast, such as Haley Lu Richardson. The actor portrays Portia, one of the youngest characters in the show. Portia joins the others on vacation in Sicily as the assistant of Tanya.
Tanya calls on Portia to do chores and tasks while also hiding from Greg, who does not want the assistant there. Throughout the season, viewers can see Portia get a bit overwhelmed. At first, it seems like Portia might be relatable to younger audiences.
However, Portia is quick to complain about her work and boss. Some viewers might see her as having no worth ethic since her job at a pleasant location seems simple. She also complains about her boss and appears to lack self-awareness. In the meantime, the character has a budding romance.
Albie has an interest in Portia at the beginning of the season. The two made plans to hang out again, but she may not feel the same way about him. She also seems to be building a romance with Jack instead.
Richardson thinks Portia is like Tanya
When Tanya orders Portia to remain in the room, the latter complains about her boss to her friend. At this moment, many fans did not agree with her complaints and saw her as self-absorbed. Even Haley Lu Richardson has mentioned that Portia is not the relatable character she thought she would be.
According to Vanity Fair, Richardson believed Portia would be a “relatable, just frazzled assistant” at the audition. However, she learned more about the character after she got the part. Portia is more like Tanya than she assumed previously.
“I think that as the episodes go on, you really see just the angst and the misery and the bit of narcissism and unawareness and lostness that Portia has, that almost kind of is a mini Tanya. Me and Mike [White, the series creator] talked about this: if Portia doesn’t get her s*** together, she could end up as the broke not billionaire version of Tanya,” Richardson stated.
Richardson also explained that Portia behaves similarly to many people her age. The character does not realize that she contributes to her own problems. She may not be capable of self-reflection quite yet, but more episodes could develop her.
‘The White Lotus’ will come back with more episodes
Haley Lu Richardson has had several other significant roles besides Portia. She starred in films like Split and Pitch Perfect. The actor has garnered considerable wealth during her career, and The White Lotus is her latest project. Some people may wonder if she will return for another season.
The series will come back with more episodes, but not much information is out yet. The show’s creator has a few ideas about what to include in the next season. For example, the setting could be on another continent. He also would like Jennifer Coolidge to return in some capacity. Other cast members, like Sidney Sweeney, have also expressed interest in returning.
