During the production of the highly anticipated third season of HBO’s The White Lotus, actor Walton Goggins experienced a shocking incident when he was bitten by a snake. This unexpected event not only heightened the drama on set but also added an intriguing twist to Goggins’ filming experience.
Walton Goggins, who has openly expressed his fear of snakes, found himself in a precarious situation while filming a scene for The White Lotus season three. Known for his apprehension towards reptiles, Goggins’ encounter with a snake during production highlighted the unexpected dangers that can arise in the world of television and film.
In a candid interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Goggins shared his deep-seated fear: “I don’t just have a phobia – it’s like a missing link when it comes to snakes.” He elaborated, admitting to being “really terrified of snakes — really, really terrified — and there’s something, like, genetically wrong with me when it comes to snakes.” As he filmed a sequence where his character interacted with snake cages, Goggins was understandably anxious, despite having a snake handler present to guide him.
“All I’m thinking about is the very first cage where the snake will kill you — ‘don’t open that’ — and then the rest of it just goes out of my mind,” Goggins recounted. “And then they yelled action, and it’s like, ‘Okay, don’t open the first one because it’ll kill you.’ The next one, ‘Was it green or was it brown? Which one has a big, big bite?’” Unfortunately, one of the snakes quickly reacted, biting him unexpectedly. “I wish I could’ve been cool — like I fancy myself a pretty cool guy. Like, ‘Hey, yeah, I got a snakebite,’” he humorously reflected. “This was my reaction: I swear to God, it was like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve been bit by a snake! Oh my God!’”
After the incident, the medical team on-site addressed the snake bite, allowing Goggins to return to filming. However, later that day, he received a call from a producer advising him to seek medical evaluation at a hospital. “I finally got it out of my system — it’s like, ‘You’re okay.’ I get a phone call from the producer saying, ‘Hey, you know what? We’ve been thinking about it and we’re thinking maybe you should go to the hospital,’” Goggins recounted. He humorously questioned, “For what? You said the snake was nonvenomous, right? Am I dying a slow death? Is there something you know I don’t know?” Thankfully, Goggins is still healthy and thriving.
The White Lotus season 3 premiered last month to rave reviews. Our own Alex Maidy praised the series, stating it is “as good, if not better, than it has ever been.” He elaborated, “Not as laugh-out-loud funny as the first season, the new season of The White Lotus continues to mine the darkly dramatic side of secrets and lies that friends and family keep from one another for a masterful season of storytelling. If you loved the first and second seasons of The White Lotus, your jaw will drop when you watch this new season. I don’t know how Mike White continues to improve on an already brilliant series, but season three is the best yet, and I cannot wait to see how it ends.” To read the full review by Maidy, click here.
