Who was Leanne Knight Goggins? 'The White Lotus' star reveals tragic link to plotline after wife’s suicide

Walton Goggins has spoken candidly about the emotional journey of filming The White Lotus season 3 in Thailand—a country forever tied to the grief of losing his first wife, Leanne Goggins, who died by suicide in 2004.

In a heartfelt interview with GQ, the actor revealed how returning to locations he once visited in mourning reawakened profound memories.

“It was a very complicated story,” Goggins said. “I thought it was really unrecoverable for me. Life on the other side of that.”

Leanne Goggins, born Leanne Knight in 1967 in New Brunswick, Canada, lived a life shaped by passion and resilience. She battled early health complications, including jaundice, but went on to earn a degree and pursue her love for animals. Leanne founded Canyon Dog Walking, one of Hollywood Hills’ most successful pet care businesses.

She met Goggins in 2000 during the filming of Shanghai Noon. The couple married a year later and settled in Los Angeles. However, Leanne’s struggle with depression and the pressures of relocating from Canada led to strain in the marriage. In November 2004, Leanne died after falling from a 17th-floor building in Los Angeles. Her death, ruled a suicide, occurred shortly after she had reportedly filed for divorce.

Returning to Thailand, Goggins recognised filming locations as places he had visited right after Leanne's death. “That’s where I was the very first day I came here, 20 years ago, and in so much f--king pain,” he said.

Now married to filmmaker Nadia Conners and father to their son Augustus, Goggins reflected on how far he has come. “I wish I could whisper in [my younger self’s] ear, ‘You’re going to be okay… if you can just hold on.’”