Viral TikTok sensation William White is the focus of Paramount Plus' fresh documentary, Thirst Trap: The Fame. The Fantasy. The Fallout.
As the title indicates, this two-part series explores the meteoric rise and dramatic downfall of the social media personality, who gained notoriety for sharing 'thirst traps'.
The synopsis states: "A TikTok lip-sync to Barry Manilow's "Mandy" launches William White into viral stardom, and into the hearts of a generation of women; unpacking the rise, the fandom and the chaos that follows when fantasy crashes into reality."
With the documentary now available on Paramount+, audiences are keen to discover how William catapulted to stardom and his current whereabouts, reports the Mirror US.
How did William White become famous?
Born in 2000, William rocketed to celebrity status after launching a TikTok profile in January 2020. What began as a pastime for the former landscaper rapidly drew a following of self-described cougars, who became utterly captivated by the 21-year-old.
His appeal amongst Gen X women was further amplified by the content creator's thirst trap clips, where he would perform dance routines and occasionally mime along to beloved 70s and 80s hits.
It was his performance lip-syncing Barry Manilow's chart-topper 'Mandy' that triggered the emergence of his dedicated following.
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The middle-aged admirers subsequently established a supporter group dubbed the Grotto Girls, who proceeded to lavish William with adoration and thousands of pounds.
In the docu-series, one fan reveals she gifted around $200,000 in total to the Canadian influencer. Fans' donations were frequently made during his TikTok Live broadcasts or sent straight to his PayPal account.
Supporters had spotted that every contribution could result in William acknowledging them live on air, which made them feel individually recognised by the celebrity. Consequently, many continued sending cash as a method of securing his attention.
However, this online fanbase would soon become consumed with envy after William slept with one of his devoted long-term admirers.
The intimate liaison marked one of the initial moments that triggered toxic behaviour within the community, including leaked nude images, which are discussed in the documentary.
Where is William White now?
The fanbase's shift in mood left the content creator exasperated, prompting him to snap during his exchanges with supporters.
As the 25-year-old reveals in the documentary, he sometimes addressed viewers harshly, which damaged his pin-up image. Many viewers distanced themselves from the celebrity as a result.
In 2024, William discovered his new beginning in Greece, where he underwent baptism at Marmari Paradise Beach. The ritual was witnessed by several fans, who travelled from various nations "just for Will".
The TikToker has stated he feels "different" following the religious ceremony, though he admits "it could be placebo or it could be Jesus Christ. I guess we'll never know."
Come 2025, the Canadian sensation continues to upload videos under the handle @whitey18, although he's largely moved away from creating 'thirst trap' content.
He briefly quit social media back in March but made a swift comeback just two days later.
Eyeing up his future prospects, the influencer has set his sights on Hollywood.
"When I'm 30, in five or six years, I hope I'm an actor," he reveals in the documentary.
Thirst Trap: The Fame. The Fantasy. The Fallout is streaming now on Paramount+
