Bonham Carter \u2013 who was set to star alongside Coogan in the HBO drama\u2019s forthcoming series \u2013 left the show just one week into filming in April after finding that her character \u201cdid not align\u201d with the story once on set.<\/p>\n
The British actor, 59, was later replaced by Laura Dern<\/a>, who made a brief cameo in the second season. <\/p>\n Speaking out about the last-minute cast change at the Bafta TV Awards on Sunday (10 May), Coogan said that the story went in a \u201cdifferent direction\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cIt was like, sometimes you find that something isn’t working the way you want it to, in terms of, like, the character and the dynamic of the whole story,\u201d he told Deadline. <\/p>\n \u201cSo that was just a mutual decision. The whole part was rewritten from scratch.\u201d<\/p>\n Coogan also said that he was enjoying working with creator Mike White, adding: \u201cHe\u2019s quite collaborative. He lets you embellish and improvise and so I\u2019m in my comfort zone.\u201d <\/p>\n In February, HBO confirmed that Bonham Carter would no longer star in the series. \u201cWith 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,\u201d a spokesperson said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 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\u2019t get to work with her, but remain ardent fans and very much hope to work with the legendary actress on another project soon.\u201d<\/p>\n Just days later, the channel confirmed that Dern would be taking over the \u201crewritten\u201d role. <\/p>\n![\"Steve](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/01KR9G0H5B8QVY0YMQS2WDX62P.jpg\")
Steve Coogan won the award for Best Actor in a Comedy at the Bafta TV Awards on Sunday (PA)<\/p>\n