Belinda on 'The White Lotus' wasn't initially a Black woman, but when Natasha Rothwell was cast she worked to ensure her character was 'authentic'

• Natasha Rothwell spoke to Insider about her character, Belinda, on "The White Lotus."
• Initially, Belinda, who's the spa manager at the Hawaiian resort, wasn't written as a Black woman.
• Rothwell said she "consulted" with creator Mike White to ensure her character was "real and authentic."

Natasha Rothwell is one of the best parts of HBO's satirical comedy, "The White Lotus."

As Belinda, the spa manager for the Hawaiian resort on which the show is based, her character often acts as an outlet to what we're all thinking as we watch obnoxious, out-of-touch vacationers mistreat the staff.

But initially, Belinda, who gives The White Lotus guests professional massages along with impromptu therapy sessions, wasn't written by creator Mike White (HBO's "Enlightened") as a Black woman. When Rothwell was cast, however, she consulted with White to ensure her character was "authentic," she told Insider earlier this month.

"I was offered the role and I really credit Mike White for his openness because before I said yes to the part, he agreed to meet with me and talk about the role because it was written from the perspective of a queer white man," she explained, "and not that of a Black woman."

Rothwell recognized that after being cast, the trials Belinda goes through, like being at self-centered guests' beck and call and working for a male boss who relapses into substance abuse, would automatically read differently to viewers.

When she arrived at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, where the cast and crew filmed "The White Lotus" last year, Rothwell and White had writing sessions where the actress pulled from her real-life background of working in service at places like JC Penny, Blockbuster, and even McDonalds.

"I know what it means to be a Black woman and what it means to be in a servile position to white people. I walked that walk and have been in those shoes," Rothwell said, noting that she tweaked dialogue to make sure "it sounds real."

"And so he really allowed me to ... develop Belinda and speak to the nuance because it wasn't about giving her more page real estate," she emphasized. "It was about understanding the quiet storm that Black women carry inside us, when we have to be in those situations where privilege and your paycheck are at risk if you were to act out of pocket."

From the beginning of "The White Lotus," a guest named Tanya gravitates toward Belinda. She invites the hotel employee to dinner, an invitation that Belinda solely accepts out of politeness. Over their shared meal, Tanya dangles the idea of financing Belinda's own spa, only to eventually pull out of the joint business venture and toss aside Belinda's detailed proposal when she becomes distracted by a new love interest.

And in the season finale, Belinda meets Rachel, a woman on the verge of a break down when she realizes she's signed up to be a trophy wife. Unable to avoid this woman's sobs, Belinda goes over to help the woman, but viewers couldn't help but notice her character rolling her eyes - a subtle sign of defiance.

"I just did that," Rothwell said, after being asked if the eye roll was in the script. "I don't say a ton over the course of the series, but I'm just reacting and expressive."

"Belinda can only say so much and do so much because she's trying to walk this line of being content and aspirational," she continued, referencing her character's desire to start her own wellness center. "She's in a position of power with a lot of these guests because they need her, but at the same time she's supposed to be servile."

Rothwell said those nonverbal moments that cue viewers into what Belinda is really feeling behind her courteous smile is like "a pressure valve or release ... it's just allowing that energy inside of her to do something. Where it's just like, I can't say it. I can't walk out of here, but I can just breathe."

"The White Lotus," also starring Connie Britton and Murray Bartlett, can be seen On Demand on HBO and HBO Max.