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Deepika Padukone lets go of The White Lotus, refuses to audition for the Emmy Award-winning series: report
This is not the first time that Deepika Padukone was approached for The White Lotus. The makers were reportedly keen to cast her in Season 3 as well, but due to her pregnancy at the time, the collaboration did not materialise.
Deepika Padukone steered the 8 hour shift debate.
(Photo: Deepika Padukone/Instagram)
Rumours had been circulating strongly on social media that Deepika Padukone would be seen in The White Lotus, created by Mike White. The speculation suggested that the project would mark her return to Hollywood following her debut in xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), where she starred alongside Vin Diesel. However, it has now emerged that Deepika is no longer in consideration for the Emmy Award-winning black comedy series. According to reports, she chose to walk away from the opportunity after declining to audition for the role.
As per a report by Variety India, an industry source confirmed that while the makers were keen to approach her, the audition process became the sticking point. The source was quoted as saying, “Auditions are a mandatory part of the casting process for The White Lotus. The makers were very keen on auditioning actors before signing them on. Deepika was not keen on auditioning and that was the reason why the White Lotus opportunity had to be passed.”
The report further stated that this was not the first time the team had approached her. During the third season as well, the makers were reportedly interested in bringing her on board, but due to her pregnancy at the time, the collaboration did not materialise. With a fourth season now in development, the request was revisited, but once again, the opportunity was passed on.
Deepika’s Exit from Spirit and Kalki 2898 AD Sequel
In the past year, this is not the only high-profile project Deepika has stepped away from. She was previously in the news for exiting Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, as well as the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD, helmed by Nag Ashwin. Her exit from Spirit became particularly high-profile, with reports suggesting that she had demanded an eight-hour work shift, higher remuneration, and a share in the film’s profits, terms that reportedly did not align with the makers’ expectations, leading to the project falling through. Similarly, despite her performance in the first installment of Kalki 2898 AD receiving praise, it has been reported that she will not feature in the sequel, allegedly due to similar demands not being met.
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Amid these developments, Deepika recently addressed her approach to choosing projects in a conversation with Harper’s Bazaar. She said, “Anything that doesn’t feel true to me doesn’t cut it. Sometimes people offer a lot of money and think that’s enough, but it isn’t. And the reverse is also true, some things may not be commercially big, but I believe in the people or the message, and I’ll stand by it. Was I always this clear? Maybe not. But I’ve reached that clarity now. Do I sometimes look back and think, ‘What was I thinking?’ Of course. That’s part of learning. Maybe 10 years from now, I’ll question some of today’s choices. But right now, they feel honest.”
Looking ahead, she will next be seen in King, directed by Siddharth Anand and co-starring Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Suhana Khan. The film is slated for a December 2026 release. Meanwhile, she is also working on director Atlee’s next project, which stars Allu Arjun.
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