At its core, HBO's six-part miniseries The White Lotus is a scathing satirical dramedy about the decadent lifestyle of the ultra-wealthy. The show revolves around several affluent and entitled guests who gather at a posh Hawaiian hotel, where personalities commingle, tempers flare, and their idyllic island getaway soon becomes a nightmare scenario marked by manslaughter.
Written and directed by Mike White, The White Lotus does a good job of codifying its characters through social class, painting a large divide between the haves and have-nots, friends and family, guests and staff members, and more.
Paula
As one of the two main characters who does not come from a wealthy family, Olivia's (Sydney Sweeney) teenage best friend Paula (Brittany O'Grady) is likely the least wealthy character on The White Lotus.
Paula's socioeconomic background becomes a major plot point in the beloved HBO original series when, upon meeting Kai (Kekoa Kekumano), she identifies with his financial troubles and schemes to steal jewelry from Nicole on his behalf. Despite the remorse Paula expresses, Olivia forgives her precisely because she knows how underprivileged Paula is.
Quinn Mossbacher
As a jobless sixteen-year-old, Quinn Mossbacher (Fred Hechinger) hasn't much of his own wealth to speak of on the show. While his parents are extremely rich and he enjoys a life of privilege and entitlement as a result, Quinn presumably has a limited allowance to spend on personal items.
What makes Quinn so compelling is that he seems to despise his wealthy upbringing as the series progresses, opting to leave his life of convenience behind to stay in Hawaii and pursue his newfound dream to join the rowing team. While he may take his privileged lifestyle for granted at a young age, money takes a backseat to Quinn's desire to live a full life.
Olivia Mossbacher
Much like her little brother Quinn, Olivia is a spoiled college sophomore who relies on her parent's extreme wealth to maintain her lavish lifestyle. Since she's a few years older, she probably gets a slightly larger allowance than Quinn, but she too hasn't her own moneymaking endeavor to speak of.
Unlike Quinn, Olivia weaponizes her wealthy background and uses it to threaten Paula to keep her in check the whole time. She wields her so-called superior social status like a cudgel to make Paula feel bad about herself, which results in Paula's vindictive heist scheme.
Rachel Patton
As a newlywed without a prenuptial agreement, Rachel (Alexandra Daddario) is in a precarious financial situation. Rachel not only comes from a much more modest background than the others, but her vocation as a struggling freelance journalist also may have led to her decision to stay married to Shane in the end, despite feeling like it was a mistake. However, her final decision ensures her financial security.
Still, Rachel is the one adult character who never flaunts her husband's wealth or uses the money to curry favors from the staff or other guests. Like Paula, her lack of exorbitant opulence makes her grounded, relatable, and one of the most likable and down-to-earth characters on the show.
Armond
As the manager of the lavish White Lotus hotel, Armond (Murray Bartlett) is surely one of the highest-paid staff members. However, he's nowhere near as well off as the mega-rich hotel guests, ranking him in the middle of the pack in terms of his own self-made wealth.
In addition to his snazzy outfits and upscale fashion sense, Armond's financial situation is also hinted at when he's seen passed out in his Nissan Altima, the 2021 model of which has a retail price of $24,450. While that's hardly a symbol of excessive wealth, Armond's senior status at the hotel still makes him more financially independent than the others.
Belinda
Prior to the finale of the popular HBO original series, Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) would have ranked below Armond in terms of wealth. The benevolent health spa masseuse comes from a modest background that starkly opposes the fancy hotel guests. However, despite flaking on her as a business partner, Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) leaves Belinda a large sum of cash that definitely betters her financial situation.
Belinda's entire arc on the show concerns Tanya potentially investing in her dream wellness center. But when Tanya flakes on Belinda to be with her new beau Greg (Jon Gries) instead, Belinda is crestfallen to the point that no amount of money can atone for. Belinda earns her wealth on the show but is not defined by it, which makes her character stand out.
Mark Mossbacher
Early in the show, Mark Mossbacher (Steve Zahn) claims to Quinn that he's not insecure about his wife Nicole (Connie Britton) making more money than he does. The statement indicates that Mark is the secondary breadwinner in the family, placing him below Nicole on the wealth spectrum. While his profession is never given, Mark's marriage to Nicole ensures his lifelong financial security.
More to the point, Mark never seems all that interested in what money can afford him in Hawaii. His arc deals with the emotional tumult of his cancer diagnosis and his father's secret life, and the profound bond he makes with Quinn.
Tanya McQuoid
Tanya McQuoid is presented as a high-powered entrepreneur who has made a fortune out of transactional relationships, something she recognizes and tries to avoid moving forward once she meets Greg. Tanya's epiphany dashes Belinda's hopes for her wellness center, but Tanya is kind enough to leave the masseuse thousands of dollars in cash to pursue her dreams anyway.
Arriving in Hawaii to spread her deceased mother's ashes in the Pacific, Tanya's extreme wealth has led to a painful life of isolation, lack of meaningful connection, and deep unhappiness. But when she meets Greg, a simpleton with zero ulterior motives, she redirects her course in life disavows wealth as her defining characteristic.
Shane Patton
Shane Patton (Jake Lacy) is an extremely rich real estate agent who was born into a family of old money. When his mother Kitty (Molly Shannon) arrives on his honeymoon, it is inferred that she is even wealthier than the Mossbachers.
The fact that Kitty paid for Shane and Rachel's honeymoon suite, the most expensive room at the hotel, reinforces their exorbitant family wealth. Meanwhile, Shane constantly flashes and flaunts his money at the hotel, obsesses over losing the honeymoon suite the whole time, and encourages Rachel to quit her job and be a proud trophy wife. No other character is more defined by their elite monetary status than Shane, a man who thinks he can buy his way out of any situation.
Nicole Mossbacher
As the Chief Financial Officer of the mega-successful fictional search engine Poof, Nicole Massbacher is the wealthiest character on The White Lotus. She's had her profile included among the 10 most badass women in the tech world and is seen taking international business calls to China while on vacation. Money never sleeps.
The extravagant wardrobe, luggage, gaudy hotel rooms (one for her and Mark and one for her children and Paula), and recurring fine dining all support Nicole's status as the richest White Lotus guest.