“That’s really all he deserved”: Walton Goggins reveals why Rick spared Jim Hollinger’s life in The White Lotus Season 3

Walton Goggins in The White Lotus Season 3 (Image via YouTube/Max)
Walton Goggins in The White Lotus Season 3 (Image via YouTube/Max)

Walton Goggins’ iconic performance as Rick has become one of the highlights of The White Lotus Season 3. With his expressions, the actor has been receiving rave reviews for his role.

An important plot point this season is Rick’s revenge against the murderer of his father. After spending the entire season looking for him, Rick finally gets a chance at avenge when he comes face-to-face with the supposed killer, Jim Hollinger, in The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 7.

However, despite being furious and preparing for the moment for years, Rick decides not to kill Jim and leaves his room after pushing his chair down. In an interview with Variety, Walton Goggins talked about his character’s unexpected move, revealing Rick spared Jim’s life as he felt the old and frail man looked powerless, and that is all he needed to let go of his angst:

“I’m going into this [in character] not knowing whether or not I’m going to kill this guy or beat the s*** out of him, and then it turns out I just kick him over in a chair, because that’s really all he deserved. All of the power that he had over me was taken back by me in that moment, and I saw him for who he was.”

Walton Goggins talks about why Rick did not kill Jim in The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 7

Rick had been waiting to confront Jim for years. That was the only reason he arrived at The White Lotus resort, knowing that Jim was the husband of the hotel’s owner, Sritala. After carefully devising a plan with his friend Frank, played by Sam Rockwell, Rick arrives at Jim’s home and confronts him.

While he points a gun at Jim and emphasizes how he ruined his life, Jim looks on in surprise and horror. However, Rick does not shoot him and goes away feeling relieved and happy. In his interview, Goggins highlighted Rick saw Jim as an old man who had no power over him. Hence, he decided to spare his life and move on:

“When he [Rick] walks around the table, it’s just… “You’re a frail old man. What power do you really have? You’re pathetic, and I wasted my life for someone that you never even thought about.”
“Everything he had been carrying, it left his body and was gone. It felt that way to me, walking out of the f****** room — the weight of nine months had been lifted off of me. The peace that just entered his life, it’s such a foreign f****** feeling for him.”

Rick would return to the resort in The White Lotus Season 3 finale after a night of partying with his friend Frank. It will be interesting to see how his character arc reaches its conclusion in the season finale.


The White Lotus Season 3 airs on HBO on Sundays.

Edited by Amey Mirashi
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