‘The White Lotus’ casts Laura Dern to replace Helena Bonham Carter after sudden exit

Laura Dern is checking in.

The “Palm Royale” actress is set to replace Helena Bonham Carter on Season 4 of “The White Lotus” after the latter’s sudden exit from the series, Page Six has confirmed.

Dern, 59, will not take over Carter’s exact role, but instead, the show’s creator, Mike White, is writing the “Jurassic Park” star her own character.

Deadline first reported Dern’s casting.

Dern and White, 55, meanwhile, are no strangers to collaborating on projects.

The pair worked together on the 2007 comedy/drama “Year of the Dog,” before co-creating the 2011 HBO drama “Enlightened.”

Dern had also made an uncredited voice cameo in Season 2 of “The White Lotus.”

Carter, 59, exited Season 4 of the HBO hit just nine days after production kicked off in France.

“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 to Page Six Saturday. “The role has subsequently been rethought, is being rewritten and will be recast in the coming weeks.

The rep added that White, the network and producers “are saddened” that they won’t get the chance to work with Carter.

However, they “very much hope to work with the legendary actress on another project soon.”

The upcoming installment of “The White Lotus” is set at a luxury resort in France during the Cannes Film Festival, per the show’s official press release.

The cast features a star studded line-up, including Rosie Perez, Max Greenfield, Kumail Nanjiani, Chloe Bennet, Heather Graham and Steve Coogan, AJ Michalka and Sandra Bernhard.

Bernhard is another longtime pal of White’s and didn’t hold back her excitement on joining the beloved project.

In March, the comedian told E! News: “What made me beg Mike White for 25 years as his friend, to say, ‘When are you writing me a star-turning role? Mike, what do I have [to do]?’”

Bernhard, 70, added, “He loves me. We love each other. And he finally said, ‘This is it. This is the season.’ This is it, and it’s the right time.” 

For her part, Michalka took a moment to praise White’s casting skills.

“I think Mike just knows, as soon as he sees it,” she shared on the “Just Trish” podcast last month. “He’s like this person is right. He’s so smart.” 

Season 1 of “The White Lotus” (2021) took place in Hawaii, while Season 2 (2022) was shot in Sicily.

The third season (2025) followed a Thailand vacation.

The show has won a total of 16 Emmys spanning the first two seasons.

Jennifer Coolidge took home the Supporting Actress trophy for both Season 1 and 2 for her role as Tanya McQuoid.

Season 3 did not take home any Emmy awards despite 23 nominations.

Jason Isaacs, who starred in the third season, can’t wait for the new cast to join the “White Lotus” legacy.

“I’ve got friends who are going to be in it,” he told Entertainment Tonight in January, “and they’re going to have the ride of their lives.”

“There aren’t many people, in fact there’s nobody, writing and directing like Mike White,” Isaacs gushed.