Leslie Bibb isn’t quite sure how to slow down. “As actors, we’re always trying to get the next job,” she says. “I don’t like downtime much because I love what I do.”

But when we speak a few days after her cover shoot for this issue—a joyride in the eternally estival East Hampton—Bibb is taking something of a break. She’s in Upstate New York now, at the home of a “very fancy interior designer” friend, her dog Gus wrapped around her feet. From her perch, she has a view of some Canada geese and a pond. She’s taking a moment to relax.

In August last year, the North Dakota–born 51-year-old finished filming the third season of HBO’s much-discussed vacation dramedy The White Lotus. She played Kate, a Texas mom on a girls’ trip to Thailand with two longtime frenemies portrayed by Michelle Monaghan and Carrie Coon. A couple of months later, she was back to work on the second season of the 1960s-set Apple TV+ comedy Palm Royale, which she followed up with a whirlwind White Lotus press tour, then capped that off with some Palm reshoots.

“He said, ‘Baby, it’s like when I won the Oscar, if not more.'” —Leslie Bibb

The White Lotus fervor was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. The amount of attention the luxe murder mystery garners even surprised her partner, Sam Rockwell, whose infamous cameo marked a pivot point in the season. He tried to warn her. “He said, ‘Baby, it’s like when I won the Oscar, if not more,’” she remembers. “‘I don’t think you are prepared for that.’” She wasn’t, but she enjoyed the ride all the same.

As the whirlwind winds down, it’s hard to let go of the experience. “You want to work with actors and filmmakers and writers and DPs who make you feel like you just get better and better,” Bibb says. “It’s made me a bit more discerning about my choices.” She wasn’t sure if audiences were going to like Kate, who reveals her conservative leanings in a scene that went beyond viral thanks to Bibb’s perfectly condescending flicker of a smile, but the actor grew attached to her character for her loyalty. “Kate’s the girl who’s never going to leave you at the bar,” Bibb says.

“I can’t break up with Kate quite yet.” —Leslie Bibb

She even kept Kate’s signature haircut—a jaw-framing style that she and her stylist, Chris McMillan, call the “cunty little bob.” This was partly out of convenience—it was easy to fit under her Palm Royale wig—and partly because of the moment in her life that it has come to symbolize. “I can’t break up with her quite yet,” she says, tossing her locks.

While Bibb awaits the yet-undated release of Palm Royale’s second season, there’s time for a moment of repose. She’s enjoying her Upstate getaway—even if the geese are making a mess of the sprawling lawn. “It’s really nice up here,” she muses. “Even with the goose poop.”

Leslie Bibb’s Guide to Summer

What does a Leslie Bibb summer look like?

Every time I make a plan it gets thrown out the window, so I’m trying to stay in the moment and say yes—in summer and in life.

What’s the soundtrack of a Leslie Bibb summer?

I watched Becoming Led Zeppelin last night, so LED ZEPPELIN!

What’s the Leslie Bibb summer uniform?

I’m trying to be better with my fashion a little bit. I’m anti-flip-flop right now; I’ve turned on them. I like a great skirt, a great top, or a really good jean with a tank top.

What’s the Leslie Bibb summer beauty routine?

I love a good lotion and potion. I’m fanatical about SPF, especially in the summer. You can’t fuck around with the sun—she wins every time—but I do love a sun-kissed cheek. I’m really into no makeup, too. As women, it’s like, “Cover it up! Cover it up!” I’m into real faces and seeing what everybody has.

What’s your beach read this summer?

Joan Didion’s The White Album and Slow Days, Fast Company by Eve Babitz. I started Slow Days, and I feel like Eve Babitz is looking into my soul. I’m into an artist summer—being unapologetic, left of center, and quirky. The edges of it all.

Mussels or clams?

Italian food, I’m clams; French food, I’m mussels. Don’t make me pick.

Pickleball or tennis?

Tennis! Pickleball, get out. Pickleball? It’s a dumb name. Play tennis, PLEASE GOD.

Jeep or convertible?

Jeep all the way. It’s too much wind with the convertible.

Beach or poolside?

I’m going to say something controversial: I don’t love sand. It gets on my nerves, I’m sorry. But I love the sound of the waves.

Hair by Lona Vigi at Forward Artists
Makeup by Shayna Goldberg at the Wall Group for M.A.C
Styling assistance by Kelsi Amberson

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