Decades before the actress Natasha Rothwell ever set foot in London, she dreamed of living there. The historic charm — the regal theaters and terraced houses — was part of the pull. The other reason was the city’s connection to classic rom-com films.
“‘Notting Hill’ and ‘Love Actually’ and ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ definitely made it feel like a place where love is possible,” said Ms. Rothwell, who stars in the current season of the hit HBO show “The White Lotus.”
In 2021, the Los Angeles resident finally got her opportunity to be a part-time local in London while filming the movie “Wonka.” During her five months there, Ms. Rothwell, 44, took long walks along the River Thames, enjoyed “quite exquisite” dinners at the Michelin-starred pub the Harwood Arms, and visited the Tate Modern art gallery so frequently, she purchased a membership.
Ms. Rothwell’s penchant for culture and self discovery runs parallel to that of Belinda Lindsey, her character in “The White Lotus.” Belinda, the empathetic spa manager of the fictional resort White Lotus Maui in Season 1, returns for Season 3, which takes place in Thailand and debuted Feb. 16. “In the time between we last saw her and Season 3, she’s embarked on a journey of healing and trying to figure out how to trust again, and how to be more self-reliant,” Ms. Rothwell said of Belinda.
Ms. Rothwell’s most recent visit to London, for a “White Lotus” press trip, lasted only 48 hours. When she can stay a bit longer, here are five of Ms. Rothwell’s top London destinations.
1. Bridge Theater
Nestled in the shadow of the iconic Tower Bridge, the riverfront Bridge Theater offered instant familiarity with Ms. Rothwell. “It just brought me back to my roots of being a theater major and just nerding out,” she said, noting the avant-garde establishment reminded her of the Woolly Mammoth Theater in Washington, D.C., where she worked after college.
While in attendance for “White Noise,” the critically acclaimed play by Suzan-Lori Parks, during Ms. Rothwell’s first stay in London, she took inventory of the Bridge Theater’s gritty, “kind of punk” ambience and the crowd full of theater purists.
“It just felt like everyone there understood that it was a sacred place where art was going to be performed,” she said.
2. MiMi Mei Fair
According to Ms. Rothwell, much of the appeal of London’s culinary scene is its unique offering of both low-key neighborhood favorites and “super bougie” places. MiMi Mei Fair, a Chinese restaurant in the upscale Mayfair district, feels like a combination of both.
“When you walk in, it’s a hole-in-the-wall, but it’s the kind of decór that feels expansive,” she said. “Every section of the restaurant is so ornately decorated.”
MiMi Mei Fair’s menu blends classic Chinese dishes like the roasted Peking duck (which Ms. Rothwell calls “incredible”) and creative dishes like the Singapore chile prawns and sesame mantou cigars, which are restaurant’s signature dip-and-devour pairing.
“It’s small, it’s intimate, but it’s just delicious,” she said.
3. Hyde Park
Headphones in and listening to an audiobook is how you might catch the “Insecure” and “How to Die Alone” star sauntering around Hyde Park. “It’s really a cool place to sort of wander and feel lost,” she said of the lush 350-acre park, which is adjacent to Buckingham Palace and includes the granite Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.
Ms. Rothwell acknowledges the contrast between Hyde Park and parks in New York City, where she once lived. “With Central Park, you always feel the presence of the city,” she said. “Anytime I would walk through Hyde Park, it kind of disappeared. You would hear it, but it would be further in the background.”
While filming “Wonka,” Ms. Rothwell and her co-star Rakhee Thakrar sneaked pints into the park and set up shop atop the endless meadows. “The sun went down and day turned to night,” she said. “Then the stars were just so visible and beautiful.”
4. Daunt Books Marylebone
Like a good novel sitting on its very shelves, Daunt Books Marylebone, in the picturesque Mayfair neighborhood, offers its own narrative to visitors. “I love stores that kind of reveal themselves the deeper you go into them,” Ms. Rothwell said.
The curved back wall window is grand and decorated with mosaic stained glass. The narrow space is warmly lit and the book-filled walls sit under gorgeous Victorian oak balconies.
“There was a downstairs area with art books and periodicals, but it all kind of felt warm and cozy,” she said. “It makes you want to read.” And hoard. Ms. Rothwell’s night stand in her Los Angeles home has books purchased from Daunt Books that “haven’t even had the spine cracked.” She also treasures the free tote bag.
5. Corinthia London
Lobby culture is a thing. Inside what Ms. Rothwell calls the “swankified” Corinthia London hotel, there is a grand piano and chandelier at the entrance that “felt very classy, like you feel like you want to put your pinkie up when you walk in the door,” she said.
Ms. Rothwell stayed at the hotel, near the Parliament building, during that “The White Lotus” promotional trip. On one evening, Ms. Rothwell, along with her “White Lotus” co-stars Aimee Lou Wood and Michelle Monaghan caught up over bespoke cocktails at the hotel’s Velvet by Salvatore Calabrese bar. “There’s velvet everywhere,” she said. “It feels lush and the drinks are incredible.”
With Ms. Rothwell’s lifelong love affair with the city growing with each trip, would she pitch London to “The White Lotus” creator, Mike White, as a potential destination for Season 4?
“Well, if my character survives Season 3,” she said with a laugh, cautious not to reveal any spoilers. “I see what you were trying to do there.”
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