What we know about 'White Lotus' Season 4, from Helena Bonham Carter exit to Cannes backdrop

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Nearly five years on from its premiere, every morsel of information about Mike White’s addictive HBO series is still met with feverish excitement.And its upcoming fourth season is no exception: After previous visits to Hawaii, Italy and Thailand, the Emmy-winning series is checking into digs on the French Riviera, with its backdrop none other than the Cannes Film Festival.Just as closely watched has been the string of starry casting announcements — and one very high-profile departure, Helena Bonham Carter, who departed the show shortly after production began.

According to an HBO spokesperson, “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.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.” The road to a new “White Lotus” season is always a twisty one, as executive producer David Bernad recently told The Envelope.He also shared details on the season’s themes, other key cast members and how the production plans to maneuver around tourists.

Here‘s what we gleaned from our chat.A bad French hotel restaurant experience changed everything: Bernad and White spent a week scouting in France but weren’t sold until one fateful night.“Mike and I went to meet a friend for dinner at a hotel in the South, which will remain nameless.

The maître d’ was so rude and they called security on us,” says Bernad.However, once inside, the staffer continued to be dismissive of them and the show.

“The whole season crystallized in that moment, and as we were leaving, Mike’s like, ‘I know exactly what we�...