Walton Goggins Was In Talks to Host 'SNL' Before Swipe at Aimee Lou Wood

Walton Goggins is hosting "Saturday Night Live" next month ... and, while some have perceived it as a slight at his "The White Lotus" costar Aimee Lou Wood, TMZ has learned that's just not the case.

Here's the deal ... speculation Goggins and his onscreen GF Wood are feuding after their time on 'White Lotus' has circulated for a few weeks now -- fueled by the two not following each other on IG and a comment Goggins dropped on the recent 'SNL' clip which made fun of, in part, Wood's teeth.

While some reports saw him taking the hosting gig as another shot at her, sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... conversations between Goggins and 'SNL' began long before his name was announced -- starting well before the jokes at Wood's expense.

We're told no show content has been discussed for Walton's episode yet ... so, we don't know if he'll address the Wood controversy.

ICYMI ...  when Jon Hamm hosted "Saturday Night Live" on April 12, a prerecorded short titled "The White POTUS" -- a parody of "The White Lotus" featuring impressions of prominent officials in President Donald Trump's administration -- aired.

Many of the other actors played actual political figures, but Sarah Sherman seemed to just parody Wood -- wearing a set of massive fake teeth and putting on a bad British accent.

Wood announced on social media that she found the skit mean and unfunny ... and, while she said she received an apology from 'SNL' officials -- something they later denied -- she was spotted sobbing just a day or two after the episode, though she claimed she wasn't crying over the parody.

In the comments on the video shared to the 'SNL' social media account, Goggins wrote, "Hahahahahhahaha Amazzzingggg" ... though it's unclear if he was laughing at Wood.