Season 3 of 'The White Lotus' Was Reportedly Packed with Behind-the-Scenes Drama

Everyone's hooked on The White Lotus! The wildly popular series just wrapped up its thrilling third season, and let's just say it was packed with plenty of jaw-dropping twists and unexpected turns.

But if you thought the on-screen drama was wild, wait until you hear about what went down behind the scenes. Unlike past seasons, the cast of Season 3 reportedly had some real tension while filming this chaotic tropical storm of a show.

Here's everything you need to know!

Before we get into the alleged Season 3 cast drama, let's first take a look at the brewing tension between The White Lotus creator Mike White and the show's longtime composer, Cristóbal Tapia de Veer.

Ahead of the season finale on April 6, 2025, Cristóbal spoke with The New York Times and announced he wouldn’t be returning for Season 4.

He attributed his departure to "creative differences" with Mike and the producers, sparking rumors of an on-set feud. However, Mike White insists things weren't as dramatic as they may have seemed — at least not from his perspective.

"I honestly don't know what happened, except now I'm reading his interviews because he decided to do some PR campaign about him leaving the show,” Mike said on The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday, April 8. "I just don't think he respected me. He wants people to know that he's edgy and dark and I'm — I don't know, like I watch reality TV."

Mike continued, “We never really even fought. He says we feuded [but] I don't think I ever had a fight with him — except for maybe some emails."

He shared that it was mainly about giving Cristóbal feedback, stating, "I don't think he liked to go through the process of getting notes from me or wanting revisions, because he didn't respect me. I knew he was not a team player and that he wanted to do it his way."

What really threw Mike for a loop was Cristóbal's comments coming just days before the Season 3 finale: "It was kind of a b---h move," Mike admitted. Ouch!

Now, onto the Season 3 cast drama! We know there was some off-screen drama, thanks to cast member Jason Isaacs.

In a March 2025 interview with Vulture, he compared the experience to "a cross between summer camp and Lord of the Flies but in a gilded cage." He described it as a pressure cooker environment, adding, "Some people got very close, there were friendships that were made and friendships that were lost."

"All the things you'd imagine with a group of people unanchored from their home lives on the other side of the world, in the intense pressure cooker of the working environment with eye-melting heat and insects and late nights. They say in the show, 'What happens in Thailand stays in Thailand,' but there's an off-screen White Lotus as well, with fewer deaths but just as much drama."

Jason didn't go into specifics, but he did note, "I became very close to some people and less close to others, but we still all had that experience together and there’s a certain level of discretion required."

Perhaps the most surprising rumor is the alleged feud between Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood, who portrayed fan-favorite couple Rick and Chelsea.

The evidence? They unfollowed each other on Instagram, although they still follow other castmates. There's also talk that Walton may have blocked Aimee, as her comments have vanished from his posts, but his comments remain visible on hers.

Interestingly, Walton has continued to share White Lotus-related posts on Instagram, tagging everyone in the photos — except Aimee. Even when he posted a sweet tribute to Rick and Chelsea after the finale, he still didn't tag her. The two had been known for their positive interactions in interviews and on social media, so this switch-up has fans talking.

Still, they're keeping things professional. Aimee recently told The Hollywood Reporter, "I was sad that Walton wasn’t there [at the finale viewing party] because it was something that we did together but also it's so f--king Rick and Chelsea."