White Lotus Season 4 Cast Revealed

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A killer new cast is checking into The White Lotus.

Joining stars like Sydney Sweeney, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Jennifer Coolidge, the HBO show is adding new characters for its fourth season, and these characters are designed to evoke a strong sense of nostalgia.

Oh my gosh, you guys, I’m losing it! Alexander Ludwig – yes, the Alexander Ludwig from Hunger Games – and AJ Michalka from Aly & AJ are officially joining the cast! HBO just confirmed it today, December 19th, and I seriously can’t breathe! This is amazing!

As Aly, 34, wrote on her Instagram Story, “Checking in.”

Oh my gosh, Aly! I’ve been following her since her Disney Channel days, and it’s been amazing to watch her career blossom! She was so incredible in The Lovely Bones, and I always loved her on The Goldbergs. But seriously, The Masked Singer? She was Strawberry Shortcake and made it all the way to third place in 2024! I knew she was talented, but that was next-level! I was rooting for her the whole time!

Alexander, who expressed his excitement about joining The White Lotus, is known for playing Bjorn Lothbrok on Vikings for six seasons. Similar to AJ, he’s also a musician – he released his first country album, Highway 99, in 2022.

Details on their White Lotus roles haven’t been shared.

The show will not only introduce new characters, but also a new setting, continuing its tradition of featuring a different fictional hotel each season. Following seasons set in Hawaii, Italy, and Thailand, the next season will take place at a fancy resort in France, as actress Parker Posey recently revealed.

Despite the luxurious filming conditions for the Mike White-created show, all actors will be paid the same amount. Jason Isaacs, a new addition for season three, revealed that each actor earns around $40,000 per episode, which he described as a modest sum.

He explained to Variety that actors usually avoid discussing their salaries because the amounts are so far out of line with the actual work – things like applying makeup and doing different voices – and it tends to bother people. However, he added that compared to typical pay for major TV shows, what actors earn isn’t actually that much.

The creators of the award-winning show said they want to ensure all the actors are paid fairly, believing it helps everyone concentrate on producing high-quality television.

According to producer David Bernard, the HBO series White Lotus prioritizes fairness. He told The Hollywood Reporter in April that all actors receive equal pay and are credited in alphabetical order, ensuring they join the project for genuine artistic reasons.

Casting director Meredith Tucker also pointed out that this approach greatly simplifies the process of finding top actors for the murder-mystery series.

She explained to The Hollywood Reporter that they’re openly telling actors what the situation is. She understands some won’t participate, and she doesn’t blame those who need to work. She added that the show’s main actors are largely participating because of the potential for wider exposure and future opportunities.

Excited for the next season of The White Lotus? Here’s everything we’ve learned so far about season four


Oh my god, you guys, HBO officially renewed The White Lotus! I nearly screamed when I heard! It’s happening! They announced it way back in January 2025 – can you believe, before Season 3 even came out?! Apparently, Mike White, the absolute genius behind it all, already had a whole bunch of ideas for another season of rich people getting into trouble. More money, more murder, more mayhem
 I’m already counting down the days!

HBO CEO Casey Bloys stated in November that if Mike wants to continue the show for a fourth season, it will happen.

Production on season four will likely kick off in 2026, according to Variety.

Rumors suggest the fourth season will be filmed in France, and Parker Posey, who previously appeared in the series, confirmed this to TopMob News back in September.

White and fellow producers had been dropping hints, too.

HBO Programming executive Francesca Orsi told Deadline in February that they’ll be scouting locations over the next few weeks. While she wouldn’t reveal specifics, she indicated they’re likely considering somewhere in Europe.

Chances, she emphasized.

Okay, so Orsi just gave us a tiny little update, and honestly, it’s EVERYTHING! They are looking at countries – the ones we’ve all been obsessively analyzing on the map, you guys! – but she says they haven’t actually gone to scout locations yet. It’s not much, I know, but it means it’s happening! They’re seriously considering filming there, and I’m losing it! I’m glued to every detail, and this is a huge step!

After the season three finale aired on April 6th, White told HBO he wanted to move away from the show’s previously intense and dramatic style – which he described as ‘crashing waves against rocks’ – in the next season.

“But,” he added, “there’s always room for more murders at the White Lotus hotels.”

During the Vivid Festival in Sydney in June 2023, White shared that Australia is a place he’s always wanted to visit.

He said it sounded like a great opportunity. He noted the incredible talent and undeniable beauty, adding that everything seemed perfect.

The show has many potential storylines, but a murder mystery in a snowy setting seems unlikely. Producer David Bernad revealed to The Guardian that the creator, Mike, dislikes cold weather, making a ski resort location impractical.

In December 2025, HBO announced that Alexander Ludwig, known for his role in The Hunger Games, and AJ Michalka of the musical duo Aly & AJ, would be joining the cast. Given that both actors have released music albums in the past, their characters might also have musical abilities.

Emmy-winning composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, known for the music in The White Lotus, won’t be returning for the fourth season. He says this is due to creative differences with the show’s creator, Mike White, which began during the first season.

Tapia de Veer explained to the New York Times that he had previously informed the team he wouldn’t be returning, but he deliberately waited to tell Mike Flanagan until the very end for dramatic effect. Flanagan did eventually learn of the decision before the season concluded.

Composer Ben Salisbury, reflecting on the memorable theme music he created for the first season (and used again at the start of the second), explained that achieving success wasn’t easy. He said that despite the tune’s eventual popularity, the show’s creator initially didn’t want to use it.

I was so surprised when they changed the opening sequence for season three! No one asked him to do it, he just
did. And honestly, a lot of us fans were really upset about it. It felt totally unnecessary.

After the change was made public, I was contacted by media outlets like TMZ, and even people from England and France, all wanting a comment. There was a lot of anger about the new theme, which I found fascinating. I suggested to the producer that we eventually release the full version, including the ‘ooh-loo-loo-loos,’ because I thought fans would be shocked to learn that was where it was headed. He agreed, but Mike ultimately decided against it – he wasn’t on board with the idea.

The composer explained that they’d already had what felt like their final argument. Because of that, he was refusing everything.

During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show on April 8th, White criticized Tapia de Veer’s decision to publicly complain, calling it a disrespectful act.

I’m really not sure what went on,” White explained. “I’m only finding out details now through his interviews, as he’s doing publicity about his departure. It just seems like he didn’t have much respect for me.

The producer explained they never had a real conflict. Despite claims of a feud, it was mostly just the producer offering feedback.

Honestly, their partnership was magic for the first couple of seasons. They really bounced ideas off each other, and you could feel it in the music. But by season three
 it just fell apart. I heard that Tapia de Veer completely shut me out. He didn’t want to collaborate anymore, wouldn’t listen to my feedback, and wouldn’t even let me be present during recording sessions. It was devastating, like watching something beautiful just
end. I was heartbroken, truly.

And, White added, “He’s definitely making a big deal out of just a creative difference.”

Jennifer Coolidge was happily surprised that Jon Gries, who played both Tanya’s intriguing love interest Greg in the first season and her scheming husband in the second, was willing to return for season three as the villainous widower, Gary. However, Gries has indicated that, as far as he’s aware, his character’s romantic storyline is finished.

However, that’s what he thought last time.

He told The Hollywood Reporter that while he doesn’t plan on returning, he’s never quite sure. After the third season concluded with Gary’s secret still hidden, he added, “Every time I finish working on the show, I figure that’s the last time.”

Despite the exciting idea of a completely new cast each season—as White jokingly told The New Yorker, imagining being able to ‘burn down the house and start building again’—the show has demonstrated that as long as a character isn’t actually dead…

Mike White consistently keeps people guessing with his creative choices,” said actor Nicholas Braun to The Hollywood Reporter. “I didn’t expect to be back for season two, and the same was true for season three. He always throws curveballs. I’d definitely be interested in returning, but I’m not sure if my character, Greg, has finished his story arc. It’s hard to say.”

Unless the show creates a backstory or explores alternate realities, it’s unlikely Jennifer Coolidge will reprise her role as Tanya except through flashbacks or dream sequences. Despite her character’s death in the season two finale – revealed to be the body found at the beginning of the season and making her the first returning character from season one – fans have held onto hope for her return.

While White acknowledges missing Coolidge, he understands and accepts Coolidge’s choice to eliminate Tanya, despite her good intentions, naivetĂ©, and immense wealth.

Coolidge described White as someone who stands by his choices, speaking on TopMob News in January 2023 after the season finale. She said he’s a great friend, but he’d made up his mind. He wanted a grand, over-the-top, and dramatic conclusion to The White Lotus 2, and that meant Tanya had to be sacrificed.

She confirmed to The New Yorker that she wouldn’t be returning for season three, which would be filmed in Thailand, stating, “I don’t think Tanya’s ever coming back, and I’m accepting that.”

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2025-12-20 03:20