Murray Bartlett Running The White Lotus As Armond Is A Real Treat

Australian actor Murrary Bartlett is a revelation in HBO's new comedy series The White Lotus.
Murray Bartlett as Armond in The White Lotus

Mike White's new HBO series, The White Lotus has received rave reviews from critics and viewers alike. The brightest spot on the show has got to be Australian actor Murray Bartlett's turn as resort manager, Armond. Capturing the humor of the character with deft precision, Bartlett takes over the show and the titular Hawaiian resort. 

Murray Bartlett stars as Armond in Mike White's The White Lotus. He plays the resort manager of the titular Hawaiin resort and has received critical acclaim for his breakout role in the show.

For those familiar with HBO, Bartlett will not be a new face. For those who have seen Looking, the comedy-drama series which centers on three young gay men in New York, you will remember Murray Bartlett. He played Dom for 16 episodes from 2014 to 2015. In 2016, he returned for the film adaptation of the popular series and reprised his role as Dom. 

I was a big fan of Looking, as there was plenty of power around the central roles. Jonathan Groff, of Mindhunters, Frozen, and Hamilton fame, was the show-stealer. However, Bartlett was a bright spot in that show as well, playing the hardworking Dom.

Armond From The White Lotus

The White Lotus and Critical Acclaim

Mike White is a well-known comedy filmmaker renown for his screenplays, which he wrote for School of Rock and Nacho Libre. Both were very popular. He has now dipped his toes into the comedy-drama genre and released his new series via HBO. Centered around a lavish resort in Hawaii, The White Lotus talks about issues such as addiction, race, sexuality, and classism.

The character who struggles the most and undergoes the greatest change throughout the first season of The White Lotus is Armond. He has been sober for many years, but his job catering to the rich folks at this resort leaves him stressed and upset. He battles against the temptation to return to substance abuse while also taking on various trouble-making guests at the hotel. 

After viewing the show, Indiewire.com declared that "Under Bartlett’s inspired performance, Armond slowly devolves from a duck paddling vigorously to maintain an utterly placid surface into a vengeful bully as obstinate and narcissistic as the ones he’s been wrangling." 

Indeed, Bartlett's hilarious encounters with the hotel's guests, especially Jake Lacy's Shane Patton. This particular guest is a wealthy real estate agent who is unbelievably entitled and clashes with Armond in his quest to get the room he was initially promised, the "Pineapple Suite". Watch Bartlett discuss his role as Armond below.

Murray Bartlett, an LGBTQ Icon

Bartlett has long been a fixture in shows with LGBTQ characters. His role as Dom in Looking cemented him as a major representative of the on-screen community. He has never been shy about his own sexuality and explained his choice not to lie about himself in an interview with GQ.

“As a younger actor I thought about being out or not,” Bartlett concedes, “but I just never felt like lying about myself was an option.” Bartlett cites his upbringing as the main reason why he felt comfortable being honest about himself.

Murray Bartlett as Armond

Although he was understandably nervous to put himself out there, especially in an era where homophobia is still very much alive, he described his feelings in the same interview. "I was fortunate to have an amazing mother who had gay friends and was incredibly supportive of who I was going to be. Unlike so many other [LGBTs], the people closest to me never told me I was bad or called me an abomination. I always had unconditional love and incredible support."

Indeed, Murray Bartlett first got some practice with these roles in the very popular HBO series Sex and the City. His role as Australian shoe importer Oliver Spencer made him a well-known actor in the historic city. 

"SATC was my first acting job in the States, so it was amazing and fantastic, but also totally surreal.", Bartlett said. "Especially in New York, I was always made aware of the fact that I had been on the show; it was sort of this fantasy come true. But it was also an odd time because we shot the episode just before 9/11 and then the world just sort of fell apart."

Of course, Armond is a gay character as well, and his way of coping with the difficult guests is to seduce some of the younger waiters at the resort. This devolves into a massive party in the manager's office, which makes for one of the funniest scenes in the show.

Armond White Lotus

Armond and Addiction

Armond's arc in the show is one that is particularly entertaining, but also extremely realistic and relatable, especially for those who suffer from substance abuse. The season is full of crazy debauchery, and many of these moments are instigated by the guests themselves. 

However, Armond's personal struggle and descent into relapse is a direct result of his interaction with these crazy guests. It is funny to see how Armond chooses to respond to these people, but falling off the wagon shows just how much stress he is under. 

Indeed, Bartlett's character shows us that the service industry can often be thankless. He is not paid well, and all he does is try to make the resort's wealthy patrons feel welcome. He tends to their every need and answers constant questions, even when he knows they are stupid.

This revelation, the fact that he is extremely unhappy with his career, is what gives Bartlett the backstory he needs to portray an addict with efficiency.  Armond is actually a very multifaceted character and this is one of the main reasons Bartlett was so excited to play him.

“One of the things that appealed so much to me about Armond is that it’s not really about how he looks; he has this rich inner life,” Bartlett said. “And at my age, these are the kinds of roles I want to be playing—fully-fledged, three-dimensional characters that people can relate to.”

Armond in The White Lotus

What's Next For The White Lotus?

Creator Mike White has had a real career revival with the success of HBO's The White Lotus. Murray Bartlett's turn as Armond is a big reason why, but what is next for the relevant comedy-drama series?

After the amazing success of the show, HBO has decided to go all-in on another season of the show. Their press release reads: “The next chapter of The White Lotus leaves Hawaii behind and follows a different group of vacationers as they jet to another White Lotus property and settle in temporarily amongst its inhabitants.”

Unfortunately, this will likely be an anthology series and will not feature Murray Bartlett. With that being said, Bartlett was an absolutely inspiring actor this season and will be remembered for his epic portrayal of Armond in The White Lotus.

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Opinions and Perspectives

Watching him try to maintain control was fascinating

5

The subtle ways he showed Armonds growing stress were brilliant

1

Every episode his performance just got better and better

7

You could tell he really understood the character

8

His scenes with the demanding guests were painfully realistic

3

The way he balanced professionalism with inner turmoil was amazing

8

I could really feel his characters exhaustion throughout the show

3

The whole performance felt like a masterclass in acting

3

His comedic timing in serious scenes was perfect

1

Never seen someone portray a breakdown so convincingly

7

The way he showed Armonds pride gradually crumbling was brilliant

8

I felt every bit of his frustration with entitled guests

3

His character development over just six episodes was remarkable

8

The scene where he completely loses it in the boat was incredible

6

I love how he made Armond both sympathetic and problematic

5

The way he portrayed the stress of maintaining sobriety was so real

6

His performance really elevated the whole show

3

Every time he smiled at the guests you could see the pain behind his eyes

0

Some of those scenes must have been exhausting to film

2

The contrast between his public and private persona was fascinating

0

I've watched it three times and notice new details in his performance each time

3

That scene where he reads the guest book entries is pure comedy gold

6

The way he played off the other characters was masterful

2

His interview answers about playing the role are so insightful

2

Such a shame he won't be in season 2. He really made the show special

0

I actually felt physically anxious watching his scenes toward the end

0

The pacing of his breakdown was so well done

8

Really showed how soul crushing customer service can be

8

Never thought Id feel so invested in a hotel manager character

5

The way he handled comedy and drama equally well was impressive

0

His performance made me feel so many conflicting emotions

4

I worked with someone exactly like Armond. The accuracy is scary

2

The transformation from composed manager to complete chaos was incredible

1

Anyone else think the ending was perfect for his character?

5

The way he portrayed addiction was so nuanced and real

8

I think the writing definitely helped but Bartlett elevated the material

3

His scenes with the young staff members were uncomfortably realistic

5

The whole cast was great but Bartlett really stole the show

2

I appreciate how open he is about his sexuality in real life too

2

My partner and I still quote his lines to each other. Such memorable dialogue

2

The office party scene was wild but felt earned after all that buildup

0

Watching him spiral out of control was both hilarious and heartbreaking

0

I think the show did a great job showing how privilege affects people on both sides

0

His Australian accent added another layer to the character somehow

1

The way he delivered that line about the pineapple suite was perfect

4

After seeing this I can't wait to see what else Bartlett does next

7

I love how Mike White writes these complex characters. Armond was neither hero nor villain

4

I found his character arc a bit predictable honestly

2

The scene where he loses it with the suitcase still makes me laugh every time I think about it

2

This show really made me think twice about how I treat service workers

2

Did anyone else watch Looking? I loved him in that too but this role really let him shine

0

I think what made his performance so great was how he balanced humor with genuine pain

3

My favorite scene was when he first broke his sobriety. The internal struggle was so well portrayed

5

Anyone else catch all the subtle facial expressions when dealing with difficult guests? Pure gold

5

The way he maintained that professional facade while slowly breaking down inside was brilliant

0

I respect your opinion but have to disagree. His performance felt incredibly authentic to me

8

You all are praising his acting, but I found it way over the top and unrealistic

5

Watching Armond's descent was like watching a car crash in slow motion. You knew it would end badly but couldn't look away

2

I actually think it's smart to make it an anthology series. Keeps things fresh

8

The fact that Bartlett won't be in season 2 is such a disappointment. He made the show for me

4

Interesting how they portrayed the power dynamics between the staff and guests. Really made me think about my own behavior at hotels

7

I remember him from Looking but this role is on a whole different level

7

The part where he completely loses it in his office really showcased Bartlett's range as an actor

1

While I loved Bartlett's performance, I think the show could have handled addiction more sensitively

8

His chemistry with Jake Lacy was incredible. Their scenes together were like watching a pressure cooker about to explode

5

I really enjoyed how they showed both sides of the service industry. The fake smiles and breakdown behind closed doors felt so real

3

No way! Shane was absolutely insufferable. Armond was just trying to do his job under impossible circumstances

3

Am I the only one who actually sided with Shane about the room situation? Armond should have just been honest from the start

7

The way he handled those entitled guests really hit home for me. I worked in hospitality for years and let me tell you, it's exactly like that

2

I honestly think this is one of the best portrayals of someone struggling with sobriety I've ever seen on TV

1

The scene in the manager's office was pure chaos! I couldn't stop laughing but also felt so bad for him at the same time

1

I absolutely loved Murray Bartlett's performance as Armond. The way he captured that slowly unraveling tension was masterful

8

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