The Meaning Behind The Head Statues in The White Lotus Season 2, Symbolism and Episode 1 Review
The second season of The White Lotus on HBO introduces a new layer of symbolism with the use of one-of-a-kind head statues.
The second season of The White Lotus is a comedy and drama series that takes place in a beachside resort. In each episode of the series, we follow a different set of hotel guests and employees as they spend more than a week at an opulent hotel.
The second season began with a visit to a luxurious hotel in Sicily, which included a darkly humorous storyline.
Mike White was the director for the second season of The White Lotus. On July 11, 2021, the show debuted for the very first time. In addition, the first season was rewarded with a Primetime Emmy Award at the 74th annual ceremony. The Emmy for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series went to this show, and it won.
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The Meaning Behind The Head Statues in The White Lotus Season 2
The White Lotus Season 2 has head statues, which are employed in an ingenious way to symbolically represent the tangled connections amongst the hotel’s guests.
Rocco asserts that the head reveals the marriage’s darkest, most dangerous secrets to the couple, which then lead to violence and poison.
The Symbolism Of The Statues
The gang confronts the hotel personnel with questions regarding the statue that has been placed in their room during the first episode. Cameron, Ethan, Daphne, and Harper are very interested in gaining a better understanding of the meaning that lies beneath it.
According to the employee of the hotel, the Head statue is referred to as a Testa di Moro.
The staff relates the tale of a person whose head was severed by the one he loved the most. The tale relates how Moor wooed a young woman from the neighborhood in the hotel a very long time ago.
When the girl finds out more information about Moor, she decides to decapitate him. Moor betrayed the girl despite the fact that he already had a wife and children at home. Because of this, she ends up cutting off his head. This represents the relationship between a couple as well as the effect of lying and dishonesty on that relationship.
Cameron (Meghann Fahy) is informed by Daphne (Meghann Fahy) that it is meant to serve as a cautionary tale for husbands.
Rocco continues his explanation of the rest of the mythology as well as the various meanings that lie behind the beginnings of the Testa di Moro. When the woman had finished dismembering the Moor, she planted basil seeds in his brain. During that period, it was employed in the function of a vase.
As a direct consequence of this, the perfume drew in the girl’s neighbors, all of whom met the same unfortunate end. In each of the tales, the significance of the monument was revealed to be a cautionary tale.
What Does Head Statues Symbolise?
The Head Statues are a representation of the culture and craftsmanship of Sicily. The heads of Moors are a common and popular choice for souvenirs. It was designed to have the face of a man as well as the face of a lady wearing a crown. Jewelry, flowers, and citrus fruits are used as ornamentation for both of the structures.
The Head Statues, or Graste, are another name for them. The head recounts a story of vengeance, jealousy, and the destructive power of passion. A stunning young woman is said to have lived in Sicily at the time that it was ruled by the Moors, as stated by Visit Sicily. She used to make her home in the Kalsa neighborhood, which is located in the middle of Palermo.
The young lady tends to the plants that she keeps on her balcony. Moor was working in the garden when he first became enamored of her allure and fell in love with her. The male lets the female know how he feels about her. After some time has passed, the girl learns that Moor will travel to the East, which is where they have been waiting for him.
The girl who was consumed with jealous rage ended up killing her lover, Moor, when he was asleep. She severed his head and placed a basil bud in the vase that contained his severed head. The little girl’s tears served as the plant’s primary source of moisture. In later times, the basil came to be quite abundant.
In addition, another narrative exemplifies the hopeless love shared by two different couples. The young woman was from Sicily, and her boyfriend was from the Middle East. Following the revelation of their connection, the couple’s relatives subjected them to punishment.
It has been stated that the ceramic heads are made in remembrance of two lovebirds who were killed together in Paris and are made in the form of ceramics.
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The White Lotus Season 2 Episode 1 Review
Fans of The White Lotus gave the second season of the show a generally favorable assessment. On IMDb, a number of people commented that “both the writing and acting are outstanding,” so it’s clear that people enjoyed all aspects. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the first season, which took place in Hawaii the year before, the second season was filmed in Sicily.
A number of viewers expressed their agreement with the following statement: “The White House season 2 digs even harder into trying to uncover something truthful in the transactional essence of people.” In addition to that, it has stunning cinematography, razor-sharp humor, and a stellar cast.’
Together with Daphne, the season ended with a trip to the beach, where they participated in a conversation with two other guests. In the series, Dahne is shaken to her core when she comes across a dead body lying in the ocean.
The narrative focused on a married couple named Ethan and Harper and their life together. Cameron extended an invitation to the couple to join them on the vacation. Additionally, Cameron was Ethan’s roommate during their time in college. In front of his friends, the pair did their best to conceal the fact that their relationship had become distant. The performance provided the villain with a vacation in the tropics.
The San Domenico Palace in Taormina served as the setting for the season’s filming. A contract covering the cast member’s participation in the show’s production was signed.
Because of how well the first season performed, the show has been given a second season order. On October 30, 2022, the first episode of the second season was made available to the public.
Cast Member Of The White Lotus Season 2
- F. Murray Abraham as Bert Di Grasso
- American actress Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya McQuoid-Hunt
- Adam DiMarco as Albie Di Grasso
- Meghann Fahy as Daphne Babcock
- Beatrice Grannò as Mia
- Writer Jon Gries as Greg Hunt
- British actor Tom Hollander as Quentin
- Musician Michael Imperioli as Dominic Di Grasso
- Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore as Valentina
- Michael Imperioli as Dominic Di Grasso
- Theodore Peter James as Cameron Babcock
- Aubrey Christina Plaza as Harper Spiller
- Haley Lu Richardson as Portia
- Simona Tabasco as Licia
- Will Sharpe as Ethan Spiller
- Leo Woodall as Jack
When is The White Lotus coming back?
The White Lotus Season 2 premieres Sunday, Oct. 30 at 9pm ET/PT on HBO. It will also be available to stream concurrently on HBO Max. The season will consist of seven episodes.
Here’s the schedule for The White Lotus Season 2:
- Episode 1, “Ciao” — October 30
- Episode 2 — November 6
- Episode 3 — November 13
- Episode 4 — November 20
- Episode 5 — November 27
- Episode 6 — December 4
- Episode 7 — December 11
The White Lotus Season 2 latest news
On Oct. 13, HBO released the official poster for The White Lotus Season 2 — and it’s a gorgeous one! The image shows different groups of travelers against the backdrop of Sicily, and teases that “la dolce vita isn’t so sweet.” Did we expect anything else? If Season 2 is anything like The White Lotus’ first installment, we know that all things will be picture-perfect at first before they start to crumble.
The White Lotus Season 2 trailer
On Oct. 6, HBO dropped the trailer for The White Lotus Season 2. The video gives us a look at most of the guests vacationing at the new White Lotus property, and we also see the familiar faces of Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya and Jon Gries’ Greg. “You bring your assistant to a vacation with your husband,” Greg says to Tanya. To which she reponds: “It’s not like she’s gonna be in our bed and stuff.” See the full trailer below.
Where was The White Lotus Season 2 filmed?
According to Variety, The White Lotus Season 2 was filmed in Sicily. Variety reports that the second season was shot at the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace in Taormina.
“The social satire is set at an exclusive Sicilian resort and follows the exploits of various guests and employees over the span of a week,” per HBO’s official logline.
The White Lotus Season 2 cast
HBO confirmed on Feb. 28 that Coolidge will return for the second season of the show. In Season 1, she played Tanya McQuoid, a woman traveling alone as she grieved her mother’s recent passing. Tanya developed special bonds with Natasha Rothwell’s Belinda and Jon Gries’ Greg in Season 1, and we’re eagerly waiting for new connections to form between her and Season 2’s characters. Coolidge won the Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for her performance.
Aubrey Plaza is also joining the new installment, per Deadline. Plaza stars as Harper Spiller, a woman vacationing with her husband and his friends.
Other members of the cast were announced Feb. 10. Theo James and Meghann Fahy will play husband and wife Daphne and Cameron Babcock, according to Variety. Will Sharpe is starring as Ethan Spiller, the husband to Plaza’s Harper Spiller. And Variety said Leo Woodall will play “a magnetic guest” staying at the White Lotus.
Deadline reported that Michael Imperioli of The Sopranos fame will star in Season 2 of The White Lotus. He plays Dominic Di Grasso, who is traveling with his father and son. “Very excited to be joining Mike White and team!” Imperioli posted on Instagram following the news.
In addition, the Season 2 cast will include F. Murray Abraham, Adam DiMarco, Tom Hollander, and Haley Lu Richardson, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Abraham will appear as Bert Di Grasso, the father of Imperioli’s Dominic Di Grasso. DiMarco stars as Albie Di Grasso, Dominic’s son and Bert’s grandson. Hollander will play Quentin, an English expat who is at the White Lotus property with his nephew and friends. And Richardson plays Portia, who travels with her boss.
Behind the scenes
David Bernad and Nick Hall will return as co-executive producers with Mike White, who will once again write and direct every episode. Mark Kamine joins as co-executive producer.
Where to watch The White Lotus
Season 2 of The White Lotus will air on HBO and HBO Max.
The White Lotus Season 1 is streaming on HBO Max.
