The actor is the first official cast member to join the new season of HBO’s breakout hit.
Michael Imperioli has been tapped to lead the second season of The White Lotus, HBO confirms to ET. Best known for his Emmy-winning role as Christopher Moltisanti in The Sopranos, the 55-year-old actor will play a new character, Dominic Di Grasso, a man traveling with his elderly father and recent college-graduate son.
Described as a social satire, the six-part dramedy created by Mike White followed a group of employees and guests at an exclusive Hawaiian resort, where their lives overlapped and clashed in unexpected ways. Season 1’s ensemble cast included Connie Britton, Jennifer Coolidge, Molly Shannon, Murray Bartlett, Natasha Rothwell, Steve Zahn and Sydney Sweeney.
Season 2, meanwhile, will leave Hawaii behind as the series follows a different group of vacationers visiting another White Lotus property, where they will settle in temporarily amongst its inhabitants.
While Imperioli is the first cast member officially confirmed by HBO, the news follows rumors that Coolidge, who earned critical acclaim for her role as the grieving and troubled hotel guest Tanya McQuoid, would return for another season.
“I have heard that,” Coolidge said in September, before seemingly confirming her return by saying in November, "They haven’t told me what the script is. But I hope I have lots of romance and sex in this next one. I felt like I didn’t get enough of that in the first one.”
Not only that, but Sweeney, who played the rebellious daughter named Olivia, revealed that there have been conversations with the show about the possibility of her returning. Whether it was as a new character or as Olivia was not specified.
No matter what, she’s open to whatever direction the creator decides to take things. “I’m just so excited for Mike,” she said. “Mike’s writing is just so much fun and so incredible. And whatever he brings to season 2 will just elevate it even more and be a blast to watch.”
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