“The White Lotus” is set in Thailand, but Season 3 of HBO’s hit series actually has several ties to Alabama — and some of them might surprise you.

If you haven’t been watching the show, each season of “The White Lotus” starts with a murder and proceeds in an extended flashback, as viewers try to figure out the identities of both killer and victim. Season 3 is set at an expensive Thai resort, focusing on the relationships among several guests at the hotel, plus a few staffers and noteworthy neighbors.

As we wait for the season finale on Sunday, let’s take a look at five Alabama connections to “The White Lotus.”

Compelling antihero

Walton Goggins, a Birmingham native, has been a standout on “The White Lotus,” playing the haggard, irascible and rather mysterious character of Rick Hatchett. Goggins has owned this key role from the get-go, and it’s been a slow burn as viewers have gotten to known Rick over the course of seven episodes. Rick traveled to Thailand seeking vengeance for the death of his father, and he’s been dismissive of his girlfriend, the empathetic and endearing Chelsea (played by Aimee Lou Wood).

But as it turns out, Rick has a beating heart under his tough-as-nails exterior — he’s actually a broken man who wants to find meaning and redemption. Goggins has excelled at showing us complex and subtle shades of the character, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for us during the season finale.

READ: Walton Goggins in ‘White Lotus’ Season 3 looks like trouble in paradise

Playing Piper

Sarah Catherine Hook of Montgomery has earned kudos for her portrayal of Piper Ratliff, a rich kid who’s on vacation with her family at the White Lotus hotel. Piper’s a college student, aspiring Buddhist and the middle child in a dysfunctional Southern family. The character is earnest and idealistic, trying to find her way in the world and explore her spirituality.

Hook has said she identifies with Piper, and that helps to make her performance absolutely believable. True, her character isn’t the most flamboyant member of the Ratliff family, but Hook is holding her own when paired with scene-stealers such as Parker Posey, Jason Isaacs and Patrick Schwarzenegger. That’s no small feat.

READ: Alabama actress stars in HBO’s No. 1 series: ‘Filled with immense glee and gratitude!’

Caftan connection

Parker Posey has become a fan favorite on “The White Lotus,” playing Victoria Ratliff, the hilariously entitled mother of a clan that encounters family strife and gets tangled up in intrigue at the fancy hotel. Posey’s top-notch acting skills are on display, of course, but she’s also been making a major fashion statement on Season 3, thanks to costume designer Alex Bovaird and her secret weapon: Alabama’s Susan Dumas, who’s been called “the caftan queen of Birmingham.”

Dumas, who sells vintage clothing from her home in Mountain Brook, had a hand in the luxe loungewear Posey’s character has been wearing on the show, and even provided some colorful caftans for the series. Bovaird has been giving Dumas props in recent interviews, pointing to her influence and inspiration.

READ: Parker Posey’s character on ‘White Lotus’ lounges in luxurious style, thanks to Alabama woman

Alabama slammer

Leslie Bibb, who plays Kate on “The White Lotus,” has been making her mark on the show as a well-to-do woman from Texas who’s on vacation with two longtime friends. Kate’s a gossipy and rather empathetic character, mostly staying out of the fray as her two other gal pals clash and compete.

In real life, though, Bibb might have ruffled a few feathers when she made an offhand comment about filming in Alabama. It was showcased in a recent video shared on “The White Lotus” Instagram page. When asked about filming in Thailand, Bibb said it was “so different than any place I’ve ever shot.” Then she added, “I mean, I always get like, ‘Yeah, you’re going to Mobile, Alabama. You’re going to Toronto. And then it was, like, Thailand!‘”

The implication, of course, was that Mobile was an unexciting place to visit, while Thailand was exotic and fabulous. Bibb didn’t just pluck a city name out of the air, either. She filmed the 2023 comedy “About My Father” in Mobile, as part of a cast that included Robert DeNiro.

READ: ‘White Lotus’ actress references filming in Alabama city

Off-screen romance

Patrick Schwarzenegger has been getting lots of attention for his portrayal of Saxon Ratliff, the oldest son in the wealthy family. Saxon is a classic “doucheboat” — handsome, sure, but also arrogant, insensitive and self-involved. He’s the character “White Lotus” fans love to hate, and Schwarzenegger — the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver — inhabits his alpha-jerk role with gusto.

Schwarzenegger’s connection to Alabama can’t be seen on screen, however. He’s engaged to Abby Champion, a model from Birmingham. The two started dating in 2015 and announced their engagement in December 2023, according to People magazine.

“Over the course of the years, I just continuously fell in love with her more and more, with the kind of human that she was becoming and that the relationship was becoming,” Schwarzenegger told People during a February interview.

Champion, a graduate of Vestavia Hills High School, has walked the runway for Prada, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Givenchy and other top fashion brands. In March, she and Schwarzenegger were featured in a SKIMS’ Wedding Shop campaign, modeling lingerie and underwear.

If you watch: The Season 3 finale of “The White Lotus” is set for Sunday, April 6 at 8 p.m. CT, airing on HBO and streaming on MAX.