Sam Nivola is opening up about whether or not his The White Lotus Season 3 character is sexually attracted to his brother, Saxon, played by Patrick Schwarzenegger.

In HBO and Mike White’s The White Lotus Season 3, Nivola’s Lochlan and Saxon have found themselves in a number of sexually awkward situations with one another. This escalated in Episode 5 when the two shared a long kiss, while Episode 6 revealed they also engaged in sexual acts together.

What did Sam Nivola say about his character in The White Lotus Season 3?

When asked by Variety if Lochlan is sexually attracted to his brother, Nivola answered, “I think it’s something else. I think it comes from a sense of insecurity. He really looks up to both of his siblings, not from the point of view of a physical attraction. It’s more curiosity, and trying to figure out which kind of person he is going to become. He tries to connect with him in whatever way he can. I think Lochlan is a people pleaser, who will try to get people to like him by any means necessary.

“Looking at Saxon while he’s jerking off is not a sexual thing — it’s more that he’s studying him: ‘Who is this guy? How can I get him to like me? How can I become more like him?’ What he learns over the first few episodes is that Saxon is the sex guy. His primary motive in life is to make money and get laid. So, the thing on the boat is Lochlan’s tragically misguided attempt at being like, ‘So, you’re the sex guy. Let’s do something in that realm and try to connect in some way.’ It’s obviously a big swing and a miss.”

Regarding whether Locholan is questioning his sexuality or gender, especially given that Locholan is “studying” Saxon, Nivola said, “I think the way Mike looks at the world is not through a gendered lens. He can correct me if I’m wrong, but he writes both men and women, both gay and straight, so accurately and honestly. The point he is always making is that people are all the same — lovable, yet rotten at their core….Lochlan has such a one-track mind. He wants love and attention — it could be from a guy, it could be from a girl. I don’t think he knows what he’s attracted to yet.”