Walton Goggins’ Reaction Face in The White Lotus Goes Viral

Walton Goggins‘ reaction in The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 5 became a viral meme after his stunned expression during a pivotal scene caught viewers’ attention. In the episode, Goggins’ character, Rick Hatchett, listens as his friend Frank delivers an unexpected monologue about his experiences in Thailand. His visibly shocked yet composed response quickly gained traction on social media.

Here are the key details about Walton Goggins’ viral moment in The White Lotus.

Walton Goggins turned into a meme after The White Lotus episode 5

Walton Goggins’ shocked reaction in The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 5 became a viral meme after it was released on March 16, 2025.

The scene features Goggins’ character, Rick Hatchett, reacting to his friend Frank’s monologue about his experiences in Thailand, his struggles with sex addiction, and his decision to become a Buddhist. Frank, played by Sam Rockwell, describes how he hired “ladyboys,” to have intimacy, and ultimately embraced celibacy and Buddhism.

Social media users quickly turned Goggins’ reaction into a meme to represent feelings of shock and confusion. That night, multiple posts featuring screenshots of Goggins’ expressions gained traction, with one captioned, “everyones face watching the white lotus tonight,” receiving over 204k views in two days.

Various adaptations appeared across platforms, including references to sports commentary, business satire, and political discussions. Users on Bluesky and Reddit also contributed variations of the meme.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Goggins discussed his reaction, stating, “The only thing that I can say is that I had no judgment. It took me a moment to wrap my head around this particular life experience, so it was like, ‘Wow, wow, okay.’ But without judgment – I think that’s so beautiful about it.” He also described working with Rockwell as a significant moment, saying, “Sam is my hero. He’s really one of the guys in my generation that I look up to, and he knows that.”