For weeks, industry buzz has suggested that Deepika Padukone has bagged a role in the fourth season of The White Lotus. However, a report now suggests that the actor will not be a part of the Emmy Award-winning series. Deepika was approached for the offer and discussions were held. However, the process reportedly hit a roadblock due to the series’ mandatory testing policy.
For weeks, industry buzz has suggested that Deepika Padukone has bagged a role in the fourth season of The White Lotus. However, a report now suggests that the actor will not be a part of the Emmy Award-winning series.According to Variety India, Deepika was approached for the show and discussions were held. However, the process reportedly hit a roadblock due to the series’ mandatory testing policy.“Auditions are a mandatory part of the casting process for The White Lotus. The makers were very keen on auditioning the actors before signing them. Deepika was not keen on auditioning and that was the reason why she passed on the opportunity for White Lotus,” the report says.This isn’t the first time the show has reached out to her. She was reportedly approached earlier for season 3 as well but declined the offer due to her pregnancy.
A global outing that never materialized
Had the deal gone through, it would have marked Deepika’s return to international projects after her Hollywood debut in xXx: Return of Xander Cage. The film featured an ensemble cast including Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen, Kris Wu, Ruby Rose, Toni Jaa, Nina Dobrev and Toni Collette, among others.
There was no official confirmation from Deepika’s team regarding these reports.
Deepika Padukone exits the sequel of Kalki 2898 Ad, and the makers say the film is worth committing to.
The white lotus and its international fame
The White Lotus, created, written and directed by Mike White, premiered on July 11, 2021. The anthology black comedy-drama quickly achieved critical and commercial success.The first season was set in Hawaii, followed by Sicily in the second season and Thailand in the third season. While the second season aired from October to December 2022, the third season ran between February and April 2025.
The upcoming fourth season is reportedly scheduled to be filmed and based in France.
Constant conversations about her project choices
This development comes amid talks about Deepika’s recent career decisions. Reports have suggested that some professional circumstances – including limited working hours and significant fee hikes – may have influenced negotiations for other major films.Industry buzz claimed that these factors led to her walking away from Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, where she was expected to star opposite Prabhas. There were also speculations about her involvement in the sequel to Kalki (2898 AD).
