‘White Lotus’ Star Tayme Thapthimthong Rocks Tuxedo With Hidden Meaning

Every year, over 600 of the most influential Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders across industries gather at the historic Music Center in downtown Los Angeles for Gold House’s Gold Gala, which honors those who have strived for indelible cultural change within AAPI communities. The theme for this year’s event, which also spotlighted the 2025 A100 List of the 100 most impactful Asian Pacific leaders, was First Lights, a tribute to folks who provide hope in times of uncertainty.

Honorees included famed director Ang Lee, actress Zhang Ziyi, musician Laufey, and Megan Thee Stallion for her unwavering support of Asian Pacific culture in her work. From glittering gowns to sharp suits, there were plenty of noteworthy looks, especially given the gala’s dress code of “heritage-inspired black tie” from Asian Pacific designers. Among the evening’s best-dressed?The White Lotus breakout star Tayme Thapthimthong.

While his onscreen character, Gaitok, was hardly ever seen out of his khaki security uniform, Thapthimthong has proven himself to nail menswear. For the season 3 press tour of the hit MAX show, the actor wore everything from All Saints to Zegna, embodying an elegant yet effortless style all his own. To match the Gold Gala’s dress code, he wore a burgundy tuxedo with traditional Thai accessories for a look that served up “East meets West” chic.

Having a star of The White Lotus in a look that spotlights AAPI heritage and its intersection with Western cultural proved the importance of such events as the Gold Gala. Read on for InStyle’s exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at how Thapthimthong chose his look for the 2025 Gold Gala.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

How His Look Came Together

“We wanted something that had an American, Thai fusion for his big day today, so we had this really traditional Thai scarf that we added in along with the jewelry and accessories,” Thapthimthong’s stylist, Ashley Weston, tells InStyle. “Coupled with this beautiful burgundy Brooks Brothers tuxedo, it all came together really nicely. Then, we have the Omega watch with rose gold detail—it all ties into this incredible black-tie look.”

What Makes the Gold Gala Special

“This is my very first Gold Gala. I think this is probably one of the biggest events I’ve ever attended so far, and I’m told there’s going to be so many amazing people from the Asian community there who work in Hollywood,” Thapthimthong says.

His AAPI Icons

“An AAPI icon who I think is really amazing is Zhang Ziyi,” Thapthimthong says. “She was like one of the first Asian actresses that I’ve ever watched on a big screen. I was obsessed with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon when it came out. I would reenact all these scenes that she was in. She’s an icon to me.”

What’s On His Getting-Ready Playlist

“When I get ready, I always need a bit of Chris Brown and some Burna Boy in my playlist—just some smooth R&B and some good Afrobeats that I can groove to,” he says.

How He Unwinds After an Event

“After a long day, I like to actually unwind with a bit of Hennessy with a splash of Coke and some ice. I got this from when I was 18, when I was working as a bartender, and this was before I started security,” Thapthimthong says. “I would see these bouncers after their long night of work; they would come and ask me at the bar, ‘Hey, we have a bit of Hennessy and a splash of Coke.’ So I saw them drink that for about a year before I became a bouncer myself, and then, that actually became my staple drink to wind down after a long night.”

His After-Party Plans

“I heard that there’s going to be some karaoke and anyone who knows me, knows that I love karaoke,” he says. “I also heard that there’s going to be an after-after-party at Intercrew, where Hennesy is gonna be joining too, so that’s where I’m going to get my dance moves on.”