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If you caught the season premiere of the HBO series, The White Lotus, on Oct. 30, you saw some familiar faces, along with some new ones. The series centers around a luxury brand hotel, and season 2 features returning cast member Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya McQuoid. This season Tanya brings her assistant, Portia, with her on vacation, much to her husband Greg Hunt’s (Jon Gries) annoyance. Haley Lu Richardson plays the role of Portia, and here’s why she looks familiar.

'The White Lotus' stars Haley Lu Richardson seen sitting a restaurant table alone in the season 2 premiere.
‘The White Lotus’ stars Haley Lu Richardson as Portia | Photograph by Fabio Lovino/HBO

‘The White Lotus’ Season 2 stars Haley Lu Richardson as Portia

Similar to season 1, the premiere starts with the discovery of a dead body. We don’t know who died yet, but the show takes us through the events leading up to the death. Audiences don’t know much about Richardson’s character Portia in the show yet. In episode 1, she accompanies Tanya on a boat that takes them to The White Lotus’s Sicily location. Tanya’s husband, Greg, arrived earlier and waits on Tanya at the hotel. However, the fact that Tanya brought Portia along irritates him because this was supposed to be a romantic trip for him and Tanya.

After Greg’s outburst, Tanya relegates Portia to her room for the rest of the trip. We later see Portia crying on the phone to her friend as she tells her about Tanya’s demand and calls both Tanya and Greg “psychos.” Portia later strikes up a conversation with Albie (Adam DiMarco) at the pool, and from the premiere, it seems like the two likely interact more throughout the season.

The young actor starred in ‘Split,’ ‘The Edge of Seventeen,’ and more

The White Lotus isn’t Richardson’s first rodeo, and she has plenty of acting experience under her belt. One of her first significant roles was the character of Claire Benoit in the thriller Split, which also starred Anya Taylor-Joy and James McAvoy. Directed by plot-twist king M. Night Shyamalan, Richardson’s character met a gruesome end when one of McAvoy’s character’s split personalities sacrificed her to The Beast.

If thrillers aren’t for you, Richardson also starred in the sweet coming-of-age movie The Edge of Seventeen alongside Pitch Perfect and Bumblebee star Hailee Steinfeld. Richardson played the part of Krista, while Steinfeld snagged the role of Nadine. The film follows the ups and downs of Krista and Nadine’s friendship when Krista falls for Nadine’s more popular older brother, Darian, straining their friendship.

In 2019, Richardson took on the role of Stella in the movie Five Feet Apart, which also featured Riverdale star, Cole Sprouse. More recently, Richardson starred in the film Unpregnant as Veronica. When Veronica becomes pregnant during her senior year, she enlists the help of a former friend.

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‘The White Lotus’ star Haley Lu Richardson age and net worth

Born on March 7, 1995, Richardson’s 27 years old. The White Lotus star was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, by parents who were not in the acting industry. However, after attending Montessori school growing up, Richardson developed a love for dance, and she moved to Los Angeles at the age of 16 to follow her dream. Richardson has a rumored net worth of $1.5 million in 2022. If you want to learn more about Richardson’s personal life, you can find her on Instagram under the username @Haleyluhoo.

Check back with Showbiz Cheat Sheet for all your updates on The White Lotus Season 2.

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