In a recent interview for Collider, F. Murray Abraham opened up about his decision to spend time at the glamorous White Lotus. “Think about it. It was shooting in Sicily with this script, with Mike White, and with this cast,” he says. “How can you say no? You just say, ‘Please, please, please.'” Abraham was eager to take on the role of Bert di Grasso, who playfully vacillates between cringy old man and wise patriarch of the di Grasso family throughout the entire season.
When asked if he did anything special to prepare for his role on the show, he tells Collider, “It was really all on the page. I have to give [Mike White] complete credit for it. There was some improvisation, but very little. It wasn’t necessary.” While Abraham’s role in season 2 is less drama filled than that of his son’s and grandson’s — Bert acts as more of a casual observer of his family’s philandering than an actual participant — he is a welcome addition to the show, helping to alleviate some of the season’s tenser moments. Abraham credits much of this to White’s ability to pen an excellent script, saying, “[The part] jumped off the page to me. Some parts do that, and this one did. Generally speaking, I think [Mike White’s] stuff does that for actors. It’s very clear, and it’s just simply very good.” Very good, indeed, because “The White Lotus” season 2 is a messy web of privileged complexities that you definitely do not want to miss.