Helena Bonham Carter and Mike White’s disagreement about her acting performance reportedly had her checking out of “The White Lotus.”
The actress, 59, suddenly exited the hit HBO show nine days after production kicked off in France for Season 4.
Variety reported Monday that Carter had “creative differences” with White — the creator and director of “The White Lotus” — because he demanded a more “boisterous performance” from her.
Carter was supposed to play a washed-out star chasing a comeback, sources told the outlet.
Page Six reached out to reps for Carter and White, but didn’t immediately receive a response.
An HBO spokesperson previously told Page Six about Carter’s exit, “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.”
“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 spokesperson added.
Laura Dern was announced as Carter’s replacement just days later.
Dern, 59, isn’t taking over Carter’s exact role, but instead, White wrote the “Big Little Lies” star her own character, Page Six confirmed.
Dern isn’t a stranger to “The White Lotus” — she made an uncredited voice cameo in Season 2.
She has also worked with White before on 2007’s “Year of the Dog,” and the 2011 HBO drama “Enlightened.”
“The White Lotus” Season 4 is set at a luxury resort in France during the Cannes Film Festival, per the show’s official press release.
The star-studded cast includes Rosie Perez, Max Greenfield, Kumail Nanjiani, Chloe Bennet, Heather Graham, Steve Coogan, AJ Michalka and Sandra Bernhard.
Variety reported that the show has a massive $120 million budget this season, and will use the Cannes Film Festival as its central setting during the seven-month production.
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