Mike White Had to Fight HBO for Aimee Lou Wood to Be on The White Lotus

While HBO crows about the massive viewership numbers that The White Lotus scored in its finale, know what the network tried to take from us: Chelsea almost didn’t have a Manchester accent. Aimee Lou Wood told GQ Hype on April 8 that, while White Lotus creator Mike White wanted to cast her, she heard HBO was less confident. “Someone told me how much Mike had fought for me,” she said. “They said, ‘It had to be you, no matter what HBO said.’” What a beautifully executed backhanded compliment.

“It was honestly from the nicest place, but my little head goes: ‘HBO didn’t want me.’ And I know why HBO didn’t want me, it’s because I’m ugly. Mike had to say, ‘Please let me have the ugly girl!’” Wood said. “That was the thing that was in my head.” Now, the only thing that should be in her pretty little head is what Emmy-worthy role to hop to next.

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