White Lotus creator hits back at composer's criticism

The writer and creator of TV drama The White Lotus has hit back at comments made by the show's composer, who left the series after reports of a feud.

Cristóbal Tapia de Veer told the New York Times last week he was quitting the show following creative differences with showrunner Mike White.

Speaking to broadcaster Howard Stern, White played down reports of any "fight" but acknowledged the pair had not seen eye to eye.

White said he felt De Veer didn't respect him, adding: "I don't think he liked to go through the process of getting notes from me."

The third season of The White Lotus has been less well-received than the previous two, but has gained social media traction in recent weeks.

De Veer, who composed the score and theme song for the first three seasons, said he would not return for the fourth due to conflict with White.

"We already had our last fight for ever, I think," he said. "He was just saying no to anything."

Responding to his comments, White told Stern: "I honestly don't know what happened, except now I'm reading his interviews because he decides to do some PR campaign about him leaving the show.

"I 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."

White continued: "We never really even fought. He says we feuded. I don't think I ever had a fight with him – except for maybe some emails."

White continued: "It was basically me giving him notes. 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 wasn't a team player and that he wanted to do it his way. I was thrown that he would go to the New York Times to [criticise] me and the show three days before the finale."

Following the interview with Stern, De Veer told BBC News: "When Mike learned that I wasn't coming back for series four, he didn't handle it in a normal business manner, with a cool head, that is why I went public."

He added: "Everything that is happening right now is completely unnecessary, I didn't start this feud and am simply defending myself."

De Veer added: "Every comment regarding the role of the composer and the music at the Stern show simply proves my point that he doesn't understand or fully appreciate the importance and the power of the music in The White Lotus.

"I wasn't given the trust about musical decisions, which you would imagine come with the success of the score. Which is also why I'm not returning."

De Veer won three Emmy Awards for The White Lotus, including outstanding theme for season one.

Some fans expressed disappointment that the show's theme changed for season three, losing its famous "ooh-loo-loo-loo" vocal hook.

De Veer said he tried to persuade producers to release a full version of the season three theme including the vocals, but said White refused.

White told Stern: "By the time the third season came around, he'd won Emmys and he had his song go viral, he didn't want to go through the process with me, he didn't want to go to sessions.

"He would always look at me with this contemptuous smirk on his face like he thought I was a chimp or something... he's definitely making a big deal out of a creative difference."

In response, De Veer drew attention to the career he had "long before the White Lotus", which saw him win other awards including a Bafta and a Royal Television Society Award.

In his original comments to the New York Times, De Veer said: "Maybe I was being unprofessional, and for sure Mike feels that I was always unprofessional to him because I didn't give him what he wanted."

The third season of The White Lotus, which is set in wealthy hotels and focuses on rich guests and the staff who serve them, received mixed reviews from critics.

The Guardian described the finale as "the show's least satisfying ending ever" in a three-star review. The Independent agreed it was a "a violent end to a bad season", while the Standard said it was "heartwarming, frequently heartbreaking and, often, frustrating".

The Telegraph was more positive, awarding the last episode four stars and describing it as "a dark, uncomfortable finale, but one that forced the audience to ponder the very meaning of happiness".

The latest season starred British actors Jason Isaacs and Aimee Lou Wood alongside Walton Goggins, Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan and Parker Posey.

Sunday's final episode was watched by 6.2 million viewers in the US.

In the UK, the show has been attracting about 1.5 million viewers per episode, including catch-up.

It has also received huge pick-up on social media, with some scenes being made into memes and gifs, while fans have speculated on relationships between cast members.