Best Drama: Helena Bonham Carter Fired From White Lotus
There’s probably some great tea here, and we may or may not ever know what really happened. Here’s what HBO is saying after news broke yesterday that Helena Bonham Carter was being replaced on the upcoming season of White Lotus just days after filming had begun, via THR:
“With filming just underway on season four 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 shared with THR. “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.”
So, Mike White had no idea what he was doing (which is unlikely, given this is his fourth season writing and directing the successful show), or Helena Bonham Carter was too messy on set. Or, I suppose it could be a mix of both, assuming he really did create the character for her. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see who replaces her, and how similar that replacement is (or isn’t) to Carter could indicate whether or not HBO is telling the truth about the character and Carter not “aligning.”
Remaining White Lotus cast members include Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Sandra Bernhard, Heather Graham, and nearly a dozen other people I’ve never heard of, so they’ll need to get an A-list star to take over for the Oscar-nominated Carter.
