‘White Lotus’ Composer Says He’s Quitting Show After Feuding With Mike White

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You’re not the only one with strong feeling about those missing “ooh-loo-loo-loos.”

Composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer has announced that he will not be returning for the fourth season of “The White Lotus” on HBO, following a dispute with series creator Mike White regarding the show’s music throughout its critically-acclaimed three seasons.

The three-time Emmy Award recipient, who is well-known for his distinctive tribal theme music that can almost be considered another character on the program, announced to The New York Times that he will be leaving the show.

He informed the editorial team a few months back that he wouldn’t be returning and was departing instead. At some stage, I believe White became aware of this. When asked if he was definitely leaving the series, de Veer confirmed, “Absolutely, yes.

The original composer disapproved of the initial “Hawaiian Hitchcock” theme from the first season, which is known for its distinctive “ooh-loo-loo-loos,” and since then, their creative collaboration has been fraught with challenges. As de Veer put it, “I simply continued with my work. When I presented different versions, they were still marked by insane characters, screaming, and similar elements. This evolved into a peculiar dynamic of figuring out how to incorporate all this unusual music into the show.

In the opening theme tune for the latest Thailand-based season three, those distinctive “ooh-loo-loo-loos” weren’t played during the 1 minute and 45 seconds of the opening credits, but they were nevertheless incorporated within the complete version of the song.

He mentioned that many people might not have fully appreciated the significance of the “ooh-loo-loo-loos.” The backlash over the theme change surprised him. He suggested to the producer that it could be beneficial to eventually release an extended version with the “ooh-loo-loo-loos,” as fans might react strongly if they learn it was intended initially. The producer agreed, but Mike then removed this option. Mike wasn’t pleased with this decision, and it may have been the final straw in our disagreement, he implied.

As the Thailand-set season progresses, many viewers find themselves growing increasingly fond of the theme, while De Veer’s scores within each episode continue to be both intense and captivating.

He admitted, “Perhaps I may have acted inappropriately, and without a doubt, Mike believes I’ve been acting unprofessional towards him due to not meeting his expectations. However, let me clarify – what I provided did something remarkable; we won those Emmys, the show became a sensation… That’s the aspect that fills me with pride the most – it was all worth the stress and the near-compulsion to incorporate the music into the show since I didn’t have much support in there… This was a worthy fight.

Although there’s a chance composer de Veer could change his mind and participate in the fourth season of the show, his remarks appear quite definitive. Both HBO and White declined to comment on the matter.

News arrives as “The White Lotus” TV series experiences record-breaking viewership, with the latest episode attracting 4.8 million overnight viewers. The season three finale of “The White Lotus” is set to air this coming Sunday.

To delve deeper, check out The Hollywood Reporter’s firsthand account of the series’ third season, featuring unfiltered insights from White and the entire cast.

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2025-04-03 16:58