- How dare you ask me that question.
- I didn't know that was controversial.
I mean, it's a question with no answer.
(upbeat jazz music)
- You know my next guest
from True Detective, Baywatch and Percy Jackson,
AKA the weirdest all-day entertainment binge ever.
Her new series is the dark comedy, The White Lotus, on HBO.
It's Alexandra Daddario. Hey, Alex.
- Hi.
- So good to see you.
- You too.
- So, okay.
Congrats on this new one. Despite the title,
The White Lotus is not a horticulture show.
- No.
- It's not a description of a Kama Sutra technique.
- No, no.
- How do you describe The White Lotus
to your confused relatives? What is this show?
- The White Lotus is about,
basically a bunch of terrible people who go on vacation
to a fancy resort and think that their problems
are the most important problems in the world.
And sort of avoid really taking the time
to understand the world around them.
- You shot this in Hawaii in the crazy year that was 2020.
Now be honest.
When you just saw "new series shooting in Hawaii,"
did you even go to the second page?
Or were you just like, we're good.
- You know, to be honest,
I was really excited to work with Mike White.
I just think he's incredible. So that was my first thing.
And then I was like, "oh, if I'm going to be quarantined,
I get to quarantine in a hotel in Maui." So yes.
I mean, it was a no brainer.
- Do you ever take a job based on location? Like would you-
- Yes.
- Yes? The answer is- you're like, absolutely.
- I mean, I certainly almost hysterically was like,
"I need to have experiences" for a long period of my life.
So yes, there's been times I've been like,
"oh, shoot's where? Great. Let's do it.
We'll figure the rest out later."
- Are you ready, Alex, for some stupid games,
some stupid challenges for you?
- Yes.
- Let's get into it.
Okay. I'm going to list out some things
that you may or may not be into,
kind of White Lotus inspired.
These are vacation and resort inspired activities.
We've imaginatively titled this game.
Daddari-do Or Daddari-don't. Okay.
An Airbnb that's haunted. Where do you stand?
- Daddari-do.
- [Josh] Really?
- I mean, how haunted could it possibly be?
- Well.
- I mean, maybe something cool happened.
That's a cool story.
- There are some scary movies out there,
where it doesn't end well,
but good, good on you for being adventurous.
- Well, I don't want that to happen.
If that's going to happen, then it's a Daddari-don't.
But if it's just like,
oh, something cool happens, that's a story?
Then it's a Daddari-do.
- Eating the last piece of French toast
at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
- Daddari-do, they'll bring out more.
- That's the beauty of it.
- It's a buffet.
- Speaking of buffets.
Where do you stand on the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet?
- I feel like I'm being snobbish if I say Daddari-don't.
I just think you're playing Russian roulette.
Food poisoning is really bad.
- That's not where you want to go out.
- No, no, no.
- Clogging the Instagram feed with vacation flex photos.
- I want to say Daddari-don't, but I've done that.
- I was going to say, I think we've got the receipts.
I feel like I could dig up some.
- I'm not having as good of a time as it looks.
We all know it's fake.
- A fan pays for an all-expenses-paid vacation for you.
- (laughs) Daddari-don't.
It's very kind, but I'd rather the fan take the vacation.
I'll buy someone a vacation.
- Oh wow.
- Uh oh, I just said that.
- All right. Some provocative would-you-rather questions.
This is our unpleasant honeymoon edition,
in honor of The White Lotus. Ready?
- Yes.
- Would you rather, the hot tub only have cold water,
or the minibar only has lukewarm light beer?
- The mini bar only has lukewarm light beer.
I'd rather be warm than drunk.
- Okay. There's our pull quote. Okay.
(both laugh)
Would you rather your room have one tiny bed,
or all the food be from Arby's?
- One tiny bed. We'll cuddle. We'll snuggle.
- There you go.
Would you rather your honeymoon be at a nude beach,
or at a Baywatch-themed resort?
- Ah. God. A nude beach. I can handle a little nudity.
- Would you rather the TV in your hotel room
constantly be showing the Percy Jackson films,
or True Detective? The only thing you can watch.
- That's a hard one.
I'll say True Detective, only because Percy Jackson
is so near and dear to my heart.
I could focus more on the moment with True Detective.
- You're getting a massage at this lovely resort.
Would you rather get the massage from Edward Scissorhands,
or Kim Jong-un?
- How dare you ask me that question?
- I didn't know that was controversial.
- I mean, it's a question with no answer.
I guess I have to say Edward Scissorhands,
maybe we'll have an interesting conversation.
- It'll be a brief one as he punctures your back, but yeah.
Would you rather find out
that your husband has a third nipple,
or find out that he watches porn for the cool plots?
- (laughs) I'm liberal. I mean, I support porn viewing,
but I guess the third nipple,
because we all know that the second one would be a lie.
- Well, you know, look!
There are some really great writers on that stuff.
- Sure. I'll go with the third nipple.
- Okay. Fair enough. Again, another good pull clip.
(both laugh)
I've got an acting challenge for you.
Consummate actress that you are.
- Okay.
- I'm going to give you some unfortunate
honeymoon vacation scenarios.
I want to see your best reaction face.
- Right.
- You have just caught the cleaning staff,
trying on your bathing suit.
(intense music)
- You've just caught your fiance,
trying on your bathing suit.
(soothing music)
- Your ex is staying in the next room.
(tense music)
Your engagement ring is a blood diamond,
but you love the cut.
(cymbals playing)
- You've just met your fiance's other new wife.
(tense music)
Amazing. Give this woman all the awards.
I'm impressed. I'm impressed.
- Good.
- Okay. One more challenge for you, Alex.
You've gotten up close and personal with your new co-stars
in The White Lotus. Let's see how well you can ID them,
solely from these closeup photos of their lips.
- Okay.
- Let's start with the first one.
Whose lips did these belong to, Alex?
- I'm actually not sure. I mean, it's a woman.
- Okay. That's a start.
- I'm going to go, is it Connie?
- Let's see the reveal.
- Ah, beautiful lips.
- Beautiful. lips. The next one.
Let's see the next set of lips.
Analyze these lips. What do you think?
- Steve.
- What's the telltale sign?
- I just can tell.
- I was gonna say,
if people haven't seen the first episode yet,
it's not the lips you need to worry about,
it's other body parts of Steve Zahn.
- That's right. I mean, I spent two and a half months,
quarantined with these people.
- Right? You better know.
- Mm! Now these I know. Intimately. Only on screen.
- Of course, qualify, yeah.
- This is Jake.
- Yes. That is your screen partner, Mr. Jake Lacy.
- Oh, I am nailing it.
- We found your next secret talent.
- That's right. - Let's go to the next one.
- Identifying human beings by their lips.
- We're going to monetize this. Iconic lips.
- Well, these are the most famous pair of lips on the show.
The icon, Jennifer Coolidge.
- We all bow down.
- Oh, my God, do I love her. Look at that dress. Oh.
- She kills it on the show, as she always does.
She's amazing.
- Look within yourself, whose lips are those?
- (laughs) Those are mine.
- You just know, you know yourself.
Alex, that sadly wraps up this special time together.
It is always a pleasure.
Everybody needs to check out The White Lotus.
Nothing can make you feel as good to watch somebody
like Alex Daddario going on a honeymoon from hell.
I mean, that makes me feel better about myself.
- Good. I'm glad.
Thanks buddy, as always. I really appreciate it.
- Thank you so much, Josh.
(upbeat music)