A Popular White Lotus Theory About Rick’s Dad Is Divisive

With more clues uncovered every week, The White Lotus Season 3’s secrets will soon be revealed. Fans have been sharing their theories in the meantime, and they have strong opinions on the identity of Rick’s dad. A popular theory about Rick and Jim is proving divisive, as some suspect it’s a red herring.

Is Jim Rick’s Dad?

The reason why Walton Goggins’ Rick Hatchett traveled to Thailand was initially murky. When he showed an interest in meeting Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn), an American who co-owns the local White Lotus resort, fans quickly began to speculate on how the two men might be connected. Given the physical similarities between the actors who play them, the theory emerged that Jim is Rick’s father.

Later, the theory was complicated by Rick’s revelation that he’s looking for the man who killed his father. How could Jim be his dad if his dad is no longer alive? Fans had an answer, though, theorizing that Rick’s mom gave him false information on her deathbed because his father wasn’t involved.

This idea still seemed plausible after Rick and Jim finally met in Episode 7. In fact, some fans were more convinced than ever. They noted that Rick never said his dad’s name, but when he said his mother’s, Jim seemed to repeat it with recognition. Others highlighted the moment Rick downed his drink in front of him, and Jim said, “My kind of drinker.” And there’s the fact that Rick pulled his gun on him but didn’t use it.

Alternative Theories

Although many fans believe Jim is Rick’s dad, another contingent thinks it’s a distraction. “I think the writing is too good for him to turn out to actually be his father,” one viewer wrote on a Reddit thread discussing the theory. “I think they are just leading us down that road for some reason.”

Another viewer suggested the surprise might be that Rick’s mom is actually the one responsible for his dad’s death. “I joked in another thread that I will LAUGH if the mother actually killed/left Rick’s father… and Jim knows that.”

A more unexpected idea has also been floated, with multiple Redditors speculating that Jim’s wife, Sritala (Lek Patravadi), is actually Rick’s dad. However, this theory seems to have less support. “If that were the case, Rick would be more focused on her/him,” one pointed out. “Instead, Rick seems to be entirely focused on Jim Hollinger.”

The 90-minute Season 3 finale has a lot of ground to cover, and we’ll see what happens when Sritala and Jim meet up with Rick back at The White Lotus.