Sarah Catherine Hook’s story so far is much like The White Lotus itself: unexpected, complex, and downright riveting. As the actor gears up for the release of the much-anticipated third season of Mike White’s Golden Globe-winning series, she pumps the brakes to take stock of just how far she’s come.

We’ve all been waiting for it: the melodic harps and operatic ululation of The White Lotus’ now-infamous theme tune, the mystery of which exotic location awaits writer and creator Mike White’s satirical sniper, and which familiar faces have booked a return visit (RIP Jennifer Coolidge/Tanya McQuoid). But none are quite as ready as Sarah Catherine Hook—a new recruit and devoted fan of the franchise. Luckily, just one hour before we call her, the first official trailer for the third season finally drops…and we’ve both just finished watching the three minute clip (for the hundredth time) as our webcams finally sync. 

“This was divine timing,” she shouts, skipping over polite introductions. Her phone is blowing up, announcing an air-splitting ping a minute. It’s only 11AM in Montgomery, Alabama (her hometown and the location she’s dialling in from), but she’s already had a hell of a wake-up call. “But even more of a treat, we got the poster as well, which I’m not gonna lie, I was not expecting,” she tells us. 

Contrary to her current state, Sarah Catherine’s latest role as Piper Ratliff—a religious studies major—is seen meditating peacefully amongst her star-studded cast (including Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Lalisa Manoban and Aimee Lou Wood) surrounded by the lush flora of Thailand in the new playbill. It’s a character she feels more aligned with than any before, she claims. But as we’ve learned by now, there’s always more than meets the eye with The White Lotus… So rather than cutting straight to the chase of Sarah Catherine’s big break, the 29-year-old actor starts from the very beginning. 

As soon as Sarah Catherine could talk, she wanted to perform—not the usual desire of a self-confessed shy kid. “I was very shy and very sensitive, which I’ve learned is a superpower. It’s something I discussed in therapy. It’s funny—growing up, people really want you to overcome your shyness as if it’s a bad thing. But my therapist helped me understand…well, what’s wrong with being shy? I’m letting myself be more okay with letting the quiet girl in me—being in a group and not feeling like the life of the party all the time. Funnily enough though, I always wanted to be an actress. My mind was always consumed with being in the spotlight, which, again, is weird. It contradicts the kind of person I was, but I just wanted to be like those kids who were very outgoing. Maybe that was the draw,” she muses. 

In fifth grade, she auditioned for a middle school musical, where her vocal chops landed her a solo. “It was a chance for me to be a whole new me. That was my introduction to my town and my peers,” she explains. Unsurprisingly, she impressed them all, quickly earning a reputation as the singer of her town—something she still feels a responsibility to uphold. “Obviously, I’m in Montgomery right now, and I’ll see people and they’re like, ‘Are you still singing?!’ It’s cool you’re doing things like The White Lotus,but can you please sing?’ Acting isn’t enough for them,” she laughs. In eighth grade, she read Kristin Chenoweth’s biography, and the lightbulb moment clicked. “I learned that she did everything—Broadway, Opera, TV, film. My mind was blown. I didn’t know you could do all of that. I thought, ‘This is the type of career I want.’” 

And so she set out to make it happen. Taking voice lessons and preparing for college auditions in high school, she eventually landed a spot at a school for Opera, tucking classical training under her lapel. After her freshman year of college, she signed up for a six-week summer intensive at the Atlantic Theatre Company. “That was my first real taste of proper acting technique—being in a conservatoire-style programme for acting. It was such a game changer for me. Food for the soul. It was a transformative, beautiful time.” 

So much so, Sarah Catherine (temporarily) set down the microphone and jumped straight onto screen. “That moment between ‘action’ and ‘cut’ is what I’m happy to do all day, every day. There’s nothing better, because in that moment, you can’t think about anything else. Maybe you’re intimidated by your peers, or you’re worried about what they’re thinking of you. But in that moment, all of that disappears and you have to just do the work. I also love the collaborative process. It’s a fun game when the director gives you a note or a different take on a character and you have to try it out. The more I do TV and film, the more I fall in love with it,” she says, beaming. 

To read the full interview, pre-order the issue now.

Photography by Leeor Wild
Words by Ella West
Styling by Marc Eram
Hair by Ricky Fraser at The Wall Group
Make-up by Kate Lee at Forward Artists using Chanel Beauty
Nails by Sreynin Peng at Opus Beauty using Chanel Beauty