Everything we know so far about Valentin in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3

In the first episode of the third season of HBO’s The White Lotus, a shirtless man makes a quick but impactful impression. We’re talking, of course, of Valentin, the hunky wellness guru played by Vogue Scandinavia digital cover star Arnas Fedaravičius (if you’re curious about the origin of those muscles, Fedaravičius is a boxing enthusiast in real life).

As season three of The White Lotus continues to unfold, Valentin becomes increasingly more suspicious. Could our handsome healer have a more substantial involvement in the crime going down in and around the hotel? And how will things play out with the trio of female frenemies he has been assigned to, especially as his entanglements with the women become increasingly less professional? We’re watching this space with rapt attention. Below, everything we gleaned about Valentin in The White Lotus so far.

Related: Total Knockout: Arnas Fedaravičius is set to steal the spotlight in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3

Though Valentin has the physique of a man who has trained with a tire (a childhood pastime of one of his friends), growing up in Russia, he claims to have taken ballet class. While we cannot verify this to be true, he did have some pretty solid moves on the dance floor at the club.

After a long afternoon and evening of partying, Valentin spends the night in Jaclyn’s room where he, presumably, did not get much sleep. The following morning he’s fresh as a daisy. How does he do it? Perhaps in his capacity as a wellness guru he has the ability to heal himself.

Though his extracurricular activities with Jaclyn went above and beyond his official duties as a wellness guru (presumably – we haven't seen his official White Lotus contract), when Valentin sees her and her friends at breakfast the next day, he acts with kind professionalism. This is a guy that knows how to keep it moving. One might even assume he’s been in this position before.

Regardless of official hotel policy when it comes to staff fraternising with guests, we can confirm by the end of episode five that Valentin is certainly up for romantic entanglements with his wellness clients – in this case, Jaclyn.

In episode four we meet Valentin’s friends, who have turned up to party with Jaclyn and her friends. Let’s be frank – Valentin’s beefcake pals, who are covered in questionable tattoos, don’t not look sketchy. But one thing is for sure: these guys know how to "make fun”.

When Jaclyn and her crew are looking to let loose, Valentin sends them to a nearby pool populated with older vacationers. It was not the vibe. However, Valentin’s next suggestion, a day club in town, appears to have a bit more promise – even if the girls have to navigate a water fight with some ruthless youngsters to get there.

Valentin’s flirtatious energy at his wellness meetings, whilst not entirely professional, seems to be enjoyed by his female clients. We learn, however, that he does not shower compliments on every guest. While he told Jaclyn Lemon and Laurie that they boasted test results of women “half their age”, he told Kate she was simply average.

Episode two reveals Valentin’s preferred mode of transportation: a motorcycle. We also learn that he isn’t big on safety; Valentin rides without a helmet, a contrast to the safety conscious Gaitok and Mook (played by Lisa from Blackpink), who both wear helmets whilst riding their bikes.

Valentin valiantly offers Gaitok free tickets to a big boxing match (worth noting, Fedaravičius is a boxing enthusiast in real life), insinuating that he has some sort of hook-up at said match (unless he’s buying the tickets at face value).

As Valentin is chatting with (and distracting) Gaitok, a masked man drives into the resort and proceeds to rob the store at gunpoint. Was Valentin involved or was his involvement simply a coincidence? Only time will tell.

In the first moments of The White Lotus season three, Valentine is introduced as some sort of wellness guru employed by Thailand’s White Lotus resort. While we don’t learn his specific wellness qualifications or areas of expertise, he certainly looks well.

While actor Arnas Fedaravičius is Lithuanian, it’s explicitly stated that Valentin is Russian.

As Sritala, the actress-turned-boss of Thailand’s White Lotus (she co-owns the resort with her husband, Jim, who is currently absent from the resort due to an illness) handily informs us, “everyone” who comes to the resort requests Valentin. Is this due to his prowess as a healer? No. He’s popular simply because “he’s handsome”.

Related: Inside The White Lotus’s blowout Bangkok premiere

So which guests have the pleasure of being attended to by Valentin? Three childhood friends embarking on a wine-soaked girls trip. We have Jaclyn Lemon (Michelle Monaghan), a famous television actress, Kate (Leslie Bibb), the attractive wife of a wealthy and prominent man and Laurie (Carrie Coon), a corporate woman whose life sounds a bit less cushy than that of her friends. The trio – who are referred to as “cougars” later on in the first episode – receive extra special treatment throughout their stay on account of Jaclyn’s celebrity. This is why they are paired up with Valentin. Only time will tell if a romantic entanglement will ensue.

Aside from his handsomeness, Valentin’s other aesthetic flourish are his tattoos, which appear to be not Russian but Thai. This indicates that perhaps Valentin has lived in Thailand for quite some time (note, he’s also rather tanned).

We will continue to watch this space.