It’s been a short stay at The White Lotus for Helena Bonham Carter, with the actor’s role set to be recast just over a week into filming.
The Bafta-winning actor, best known for her roles in A Room with a View, The King’s Speech and the Harry Potter franchise, was due to star in the hit drama’s upcoming fourth series alongside Steve Coogan, Chris Messina and Alexander Ludwig.
However, HBO has confirmed that Bonham Carter will no longer feature in the project – and another star to be cast in her place.
“With filming just underway on Season 4 of The White Lotus, it had become apparent that the character which Mike White created for Helena Bonham Carter did not align once on set,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement to Deadline on Friday (24 April).
“The role has subsequently been rethought, is being rewritten and will be recast in the coming weeks. HBO, the producers and Mike White are saddened that they won’t get to work with her, but remain ardent fans and very much hope to work with the legendary actress on another project soon.”
According to the publication, after Bonham Carter shot her scenes, director and writer Mike White felt that her character was not what it should be. Filming will reportedly continue, with the schedule being changed to accommodate rewrites and recasting.
The Independent has reached out to Bonham Carter and HBO for comment.
The news comes just over a week after production began on The White Lotus on the French Riviera, with the series following a new group of wealthy hotel guests during the Cannes Film Festival.
Filming is taking place in Cannes, St Tropez and Monaco, while five-star hotel Airelles Château de la Messardière becoming the White Lotus du Cap.
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Bonham Carter was one of the first stars to be confirmed in the White Lotus cast for series four alongside Sharp Objects’ Messina and newcomer Marissa Long back in January.
While the Harry Potter star won’t feature in the new series, Caleb Jonte Edwards, Vincent Cassel, Dylan Ennis, Corentin Fila, Ari Graynor, AJ Michalka, Kumail Nanjiani and Nadia Tereszkiewicz are making up the rest of the cast.
Others include Rosie Perez, Heather Graham, Max Greenfield, Chloe Bennet as well as Sandra Bernhard, Frida Gustavsson, Charlie Hall, Jarrad Paul, Ben Schnetzer and Laura Smet.
Bonham Carter’s exit isn’t the first time someone has dramatically left The White Lotus; last year, the show’s composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer quit over long-standing friction with White.
