CANNES, France (AP) 鈥� Though many actors are appearing at the this week, the best role in town might be a little further down the Croisette.
Season 4 of will be set around the Cannes Film Festival, bringing one the most acclaimed TV series into the heart of cinema鈥檚 French Riviera playground. The H么tel Martinez, one of the iconic luxury hotels that line the beach in Cannes, will be a central location in Mike White鈥檚 HBO series, fictionally renamed the White Lotus Cannes.
Shooting has begun along the Riviera. But four days into the Cannes Film Festival, 鈥淭he White Lotus鈥� production has yet to materialize in town. The festival runs to May 23, so there鈥檚 still plenty of time. But the prospect of it turning into a live backdrop for 鈥淭he White Lotus鈥� may be unlikely.
As tantalizing as the prospect of cast members 鈥� including Steve Coogan, Heather Graham, Kumail Nanjiani and Rosie Perez 鈥� mixing into red carpet premieres during the festival may be, Cannes is vigilant about keeping attention focused on its film selections.
Representatives for HBO and festival organizers declined to comment.
When cameras turn on Cannes
The Cannes Film Festival has often been an irresistible setting for movies and series. A trip to Cannes made for some of the best moments in the French series 鈥淐all My Agent!鈥� Some movies have been shot guerrilla-style around the festival, like the 1996 cameo-rich mockumentary 鈥淐annes Man.鈥�
But most have relied on a mix of exterior footage shot from the event with staged interior scenes apart from the festival. 鈥淢r. Bean’s Holiday,鈥� the 2007 comedy that culminates with Mr. Bean bumbling into Cannes, is, surprisingly, among the most seamless recreations.
Some of this season’s 鈥淲hite Lotus鈥� cast members are appearing in Cannes on their own, for other projects they’re a part of. Vincent Cassel walked the red carpet Thursday night for the premiere of Asghar Farhadi’s 鈥淧arallel Tales.鈥� Laura Dern, who joined the cast after the departure of Helena Bonham Carter, is attending later in the festival for the documentary 鈥淒ernsie,鈥� about her father, Bruce Dern.
After location scouting, producers settled on the Martinez and another hotel south of Cannes in Saint-Tropez: the Airelles Ch芒teau de la Messardi猫re. It will be renamed the White Lotus du Cap. In real life, the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, in Antibes, can function like a swanky satellite to Cannes during the festival, and hosts the
Last month, 鈥淭he White Lotus鈥� producer David Bernad said the setting for Season 4 came out of a trip he and White took to the Cannes Film Festival in 2021.
鈥淲e went to dinner and we had a really specific experience with a waiter and a ma卯tre d鈥�, and it was the stereotype. It was a very funny moment,鈥� Bernad said at the Canneseries Festival. 鈥淎nd I think that it suddenly unlocked what the show is and the dynamics of the show.鈥�
Their festival experience convinced them to bring 鈥淭he White Lotus鈥� to Cannes.
鈥淭he energy around it was so intoxicating and this season will have elements of that,鈥� said Bernad. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really about the people鈥檚 stories, them navigating Cannes, and the ups and downs of the festival. It鈥檚 the beating heart of everything in this season.鈥�
A plum role for the Martinez
Meanwhile, the Martinez awaits its close-up. But the Hyatt-owned hotel, which first opened in 1929, is already at the heart of the festival. Like several of the other hotels the Martinez hosts waves of stars for the festival. Glamour shots on its spiral staircase are an indelible feature of Cannes. Hordes of onlookers camp outside its doors hoping for a glimpse of a celebrity or an autograph.
鈥淲e are the biggest player in town in terms of the number of rooms,鈥� says Michel Cottray, general manager of the Martinez. 鈥淭he film festival started in 1946, but we have ever since been fully engaged and in complete partnership with the festival.鈥�
On nights during the festival, the Martinez’s lobby swells with attendees in formal wear heading to the evening premieres. Often, that includes casts and filmmakers who pile into the official festival motorcade that ferries them down the Croisette to the Palais des Festivals.
Right now, keeping that nightly ritual humming, and catering to its A-list guests, is the main concern of the Martinez. 鈥淭he White Lotus鈥� will come later.
鈥淲e are gearing up to the shooting,鈥� Cottray says. 鈥淚 think it will be in a couple months鈥� time and then it will be a big experience for all of us. But we are ready for that.鈥�
Some floors of the hotel will be completely sold out and inaccessible to the public during the shooting. Filming will take place throughout the Hyatt-owned hotel. 鈥淚t will be things happening a bit everywhere,鈥� said Cottray.
Cottray spoke in the hotel鈥檚 Michelin-starred La Palme d鈥橭r restaurant, where movie memorabilia adorns the vintage yacht-styled interiors: the boxing shorts from 鈥淩aging Bull,鈥� a plate from 鈥淭itanic,鈥� the ice pick from 鈥淏asic Instinct.鈥�
In the same room, the Martinez every year hosts a private dinner at the beginning of the festival for the jury that will decide This year, that includes Demi Moore, Chlo茅 Zhao, Stellan Skarsg氓rd and jury president Park Chan-wook. A meal is always tailored to the president of the jury. For the South Korean filmmaker of 2003 thriller 鈥淥ldboy,鈥� octopus was naturally on the menu.
Hosting such a crowd 鈥� and with such a classic murder weapon near at hand, too 鈥� sounds straight out of 鈥淭he White Lotus.鈥�
鈥淭here are always unexpected issues happening,鈥� says Cottray. 鈥淲e have to react quickly. I will not drop names, but, clearly, we are ready for the unexpected.鈥�
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