That is Natasha on camera, not Mel, the 43-year-old says with a laugh.
They didnt want me to do it.
They wanted a stunt person to do it.
Hulu; Getty Images; Warner Bros. Discovery
They had medics on standby.
They had heating pools.
They had people in the water with me, because it was a cold plunge.
Natasha Rothwell at the Disney/Hulu/FX Emmys after-party in September 2024
It was 32 degrees or something.
Freezing temperatures were the least of Rothwells concerns.
Go back to the future because thats not happening.
Episode 106 (titled “Let Fear Win”) ofHow to Die Alone, now streaming on Hulu
I had done something big and brave.
Rothwell points to her therapist and medication for making a lot of that more manageable.
God bless beta-blockers to get me down red carpets, she says, laughing.
Natasha Rothwell and Jennifer Coolidge in season one ofThe White Lotus
That is not my natural habitat.
It scares the shit out of me.
I valued that over my discomfort.
How many Natasha Rothwells are there to do all of this?
Natasha Rothwell:Theres a legion of Natashas.
[Laughs] But I love doing this work.
It was so fulfilling and exhausting, but the good kind of exhaustion.
I hear thats how people feel when they work out.
Listen, I work out, and I still dont know what a runners high is.
Some of us just arent meant for it.
I dont know what a runners high is.
I know what an edible is.
There are some things Ill just never, ever know, and thats okay.
Oh, dont I know it.
I wrote this whole show about it because that was what I was going through.
Im 43; I turn 44 this year.
For the longest time, being partnered was the goal.
It was not professional accomplishments, it wasnt saving the world.
It was just, Who are you dating?
When are you getting married?
Why dont you want kids?
So, everything youre saying resonates with me.
Your show is helping to normalize that not everyone has these experiences in their 20s or 30s.
It was scary to do.
I dont see that being reflected to me on television.
I dont see that as being valid, as being normal.
Shes exactly on time.
Yes, you nailed it.
Any of those milestones, whenever they happen, thats exactly on time.
I was feeling like I was living a life that was a rough draft of actually living.
Because the truth is it may or may not.
I cannot control the dying alone piece.
But I can sure as fuck control the lonely piece.
So lets change the narrative a little bit about what were expecting from people on this journey of life.
I know that, and I hope it does, but I dontknowfor certain.
People dont know, which means I cant hold my breath for it.
I can be open to it.
If he walks in, great.
If he doesnt, Im still going to be happy and fulfilled.
My parents have been married for 47 years.
Theyre very in love and obsessed with each other.
I dont want their exact marriage dynamic.
They have a lot of traditional ways of interacting that dont fit my feminist sensibilities.
I read you have already started thinking about certain scenes in season two.
Season two hasnt been announced.
Its a lot, but yes.
I also want to direct next season.
Its such a personal story, so I cant imagine giving that piece away.
But also, I just love it.
It took over seven years to getHow to Die Alonemade.
How did you stay optimistic?
I didnt put all my eggs in one basket.
Just like romantic timing, I think creative timing is also divine.
While I wouldve wished it happened a long time ago, Im just glad at this moment.
It seems like its hitting at the right time culturally, and people are really needing it right now.
So for that, Im super grateful.
There was something in me where I knew I could not put this on the shelf and walk away.
It needed to be told.
What was your reaction when Mike White asked you to return for season three?
What is the saying?
Anxiety is just excitement, but with expecting something bad to happen.
Theres some sort of phrase that encapsulates that.
So it was definitely excitement.
It was over dinner.
But I also hadnt read a script.
I was like, Wherever you go, Ill go.
That was the deal.
How was the Natasha Rothwell going into season three different from the one that walked into season one?
I mean, as the cast was being announced, I was like, Oh my God.
Oh my God, oh my God.
Im impressed by the breadth of their careers.
I was very nervous showing up to a dinner the first weekend.
I have social anxiety.
I usually find a place where my back is near a wall and I can plant myself.
She was saying all the things I was thinking abouther.Shes like, Were nervous to meetyou.Youareseason one.
I was like, Iamseason one.
It took me a second.
It was really cool to be back as Belinda and be back in the world Mike created.
It felt like home.
I heard the humidity in Thailand was truly something to behold.
Yeah, it was like MMA but acting.
It was extreme sport.
God bless RebeccaBecksour makeup artist, because every time shed set our face, sweat would run down.
But it bonds you together.
We were like, We have to get through this swampy take.
We were sticking ice packs everywhere.
It was a fun time.
And when do you start?
Everythings in a very nascent stage.
Theres really nothing to report about the project itself.
So, game recognized game.
She was more than her trauma.
It takes a lot of energy to constantly put yourself out there and not know the outcome.
Do you reward yourself for taking those chances, I hope?
My therapist actually said the same thing, so I treated myself to some jewelry.
I agree with that.
And so, waiting for something bigger to reward myself…nothings gained by continually moving the finish line.
That really resonated with me, so I got a piece of jewelry thats not ostentatious.
Its meant to symbolize that accomplishment.
So, I am learning.
The next thing would probably be a massage.
To do something just because I fucking want it.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
