Alexander Ludwig (Vikings, Earth Abides) and AJ Michalka (The Goldbergs) have been tapped to lead the ensemble for the fourth season of HBO’s The White Lotus. Creator Mike White is currently assembling the new cast for the hit anthology series, which will move the drama to new luxury locale, according to Deadline.
Although HBO is keeping character descriptions and plot details strictly under wraps, we know that season four of The White Lotus will relocate to France. Michalka and Ludwig officially checked in as the season’s first confirmed stars, following reports that Helen Bonham Carter (Harry Potter, Fight Club) is also in talks to join the ensemble. Deadline says the new installment will adhere to the show’s signature format: chronicling the lives of resort employees and wealthy travelers during a single, eventful week.
While production is expected to kick off this spring, the exact French setting for the upcoming season remains a closely guarded secret. Historically, the show has utilized Four Seasons Resorts to portray the fictional White Lotus, and France offers premier candidates like Paris’s Hotel George V or the Grand Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat. Interestingly, HBO does not currently have a formal marketing partnership with the hotel chain for season four, leaving the door open for new luxury backdrops, according to Deadline.
Last month, HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys confirmed that casting had begun for the fourth installment of White’s acclaimed murder mystery anthology. White is celebrated for assembling a mix of established stars and rising talent, a formula that defined the show’s first three chapters via Deadline.
The most recent season, set in Thailand, featured an ensemble including Walton Goggins (Fallout, The Righteous Gemstones), Carrie Coon (The Glided Age, Gone Girl), and Natasha Rothwell (How to Die Alone, Insecure), earning a massive 23 Emmy nominations (including eight for acting). Deadline reported that to date, the series has garnered total of 66 Emmy nominations and 16 wins.