What unfolds at The White Lotus resort doesn't always remain there; it transcends the resort's boundaries. Consider the case of Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood, who portrayed Rick and his girlfriend Chelsea in season three of the HBO series. Despite the filming wrapping up in Thailand in August 2024, their bond has endured. As they gear up for the 2026 Golden Globes, where they're both nominated for their respective roles in the dark comedy, it's fitting to reflect on their endearing friendship—and all the highs and lows they've experienced along the way.
Indeed, Walton and Aimee, who met after being cast in Mike White's award-winning series, sparked speculation of a feud in May after they seemingly unfollowed each other on Instagram. However, less than a month before they opted out of viewing one another's social media posts, the Justified actor publicly praised his work with the Sex Education actress.
"Thank you, Aimee Lou Wood, for being my partner," Walton wrote in an Instagram post on April 6, the same day the season three finale aired. "A journey I will never forget." And Aimee echoed her gratitude for her on-screen partnership with her costar. As she put it in an April 7 Instagram post, "R + C forever."
However, rumors of animosity further swirled when Walton abruptly ended an interview after being asked to address the status of their relationship multiple times. "I'm not gonna have that conversation," the 53-year-old told The Times in an interview published in May. "There is no conversation to be had about that."
While Aimee and Walton may have initially tried to avoid scrutiny, they ultimately set the record straight on their standing, insisting that they'd grown "closer than ever" since The White Lotus concluded.
"There is no feud. I adore, I love this woman madly, and she is so important to me," Walton said in a joint interview with Aimee for Variety in June. "This is Goldie Hawn. This is Meg Ryan. She can do anything, and she will. You watch what the next 20 years of her experience will be. I’ll be on an island, I think Greece. But she’s special. There is no feud. She is love, and I know that I am that to her. We care about each other very deeply."
As for why they unfollowed each other on Instagram? The Righteous Gemstones alum—who married Nadia Conners in 2011—said it's part of his acting process.
"I needed to just back away from everyone," Walton explained. "This is my process. Rick means everything to me, and Chelsea means everything to me. And so that’s what I needed to do for me to process all of this."
Whatever the reason, Aimee emphasized that social media activity isn't meant to be dissected. "Why is everyone obsessing over Instagram? That is irrelevant," the 31-year-old told Variety at the time. "We don’t give a shite about Instagram. Why not have conversations about the story and Rick and Chelsea and enjoy it?"
Echoing the sentiment that it's all "so ridiculous," Walton added, "It’s just a part of me saying goodbye to this character so that now Aimee and I will be friends for f**king ever."
