‘The White Lotus’ creator fires back at ex-composer’s comments on exit: “It was kind of a bitch move”

The White Lotus creator Mike White has weighed in on the series’ composer of the show, calling his public comments on their feud “a bitch move”.

• READ MORE: ‘The White Lotus’ season three review: irresistible holiday soap remains TV’s most essential destination

Cristóbal Tapia de Veer has been the composer for all three seasons of the show, winning Emmys for his work which included the iconic theme tunes for the first two seasons. While both were different, they contained a signature sound described as “ooh-loo-loo-loo” by fans, who were unhappy it was missing from the third theme tune.

Speaking to The New York Times, Tapis de Veer said White wanted more “background music … a song that is more like something you would listen to in Ibiza, in some clubby place with a chill, sexy vibe”.

He recalled: “I texted the producer and I told him that it would be great to, at some point, give them the longer version with the ooh-loo-loo-loos, because people will explode if they realise that it was going there anyway.

“He thought it was a good idea. But then Mike cut that – he wasn’t happy about that. I mean, at that point, we already had our last fight forever, I think. So, he was just saying no to anything.”

Tapis de Veer has said the disagreements mean he won’t be returning for season four. During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, White seemed bemused by the incident and gave his side of the story. “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,” he said.

“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. 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. 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.”

He concluded: “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 shit on me and the show three days before the finale. It was kind of a bitch move.”

When describing his working relationship with the composer, White said: “He would always look at me with this contemptuous smirk on his face like he thought I was a chimp or something … He is very talented, [But] I’ve never kissed somebody’s ass so hard to just get him to – to lead that horse to water. Have fun with whatever you’re doing next.”

White has been outspoken on certain aspects of the third season, responding to critics of the third season’s pace by saying he was “edging” them. He also said he had a plan to create an all-stars season in the future.

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