section_path: Production/Filming
section_name: Filming
paragraph_text: Filming
  
  The series is mainly filmed at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts locations.
  
  Principal photography for the first season began in October 2020 in Hawaii under COVID-19 guidelines. By November 21, 2020, the series was halfway through filming at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea and was scheduled to film in December at locations around Maui.
  
  The second season was filmed at the Four Seasons San Domenico Hotel in Taormina, Sicily, Italy.
  
  The creation of the show during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in two major differences from the traditional process for shooting American television shows. First, American filmmakers often control costs by filming only establishing shots at expensive locations and then filming the majority of shots on sound stages in cheaper locations. Second, when a lengthy shoot on location is necessary, the cast normally stays in long-term rented accommodations away from the sets. In the case of The White Lotus, the success of the first season meant that White was able to insist on continuing to shoot subsequent seasons on location at Four Seasons resorts, despite the high cost. Another oddity carried over from the first season is that the cast stays at the Four Seasons resort for the duration of filming, meaning they are actually living together on set at the White Lotus for several months in a luxury "theatre camp" atmosphere. This became expensive for some of the regular cast members, since HBO pays for hotel rooms but not incidental expenses.
  
  Having filmed in a tightly secured bubble for the first season, the producers were not strict enough with script security during the second season; for example, too many people on set knew it would be the final season for Coolidge's character, Tanya. For the third season, the script supervisor wrote up "crazy fake endings" that were distributed on set, and the only people on set who knew the real endings were the actors involved in those scenes.
  
  The third season was filmed in Thailand, in part due to the series receiving a $4.4 million tax incentive for filming there. Filming began in February 2024, mainly at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, with other locations including Bangkok and Phuket, and wrapped in August 2024. This was the first season for which Four Seasons openly promoted its connection to the show, since the company had seen increased web traffic, bookings, and occupancy rates at its Maui and Sicily resorts after they were featured on the show.
  
  The series is mainly filmed at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts locations.
  
  Principal photography for the first season began in October 2020 in Hawaii under COVID-19 guidelines. By November 21, 2020, the series was halfway through filming at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea and was scheduled to film in December at locations around Maui.
  
  The second season was filmed at the Four Seasons San Domenico Hotel in Taormina, Sicily, Italy.
  
  The creation of the show during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in two major differences from the traditional process for shooting American television shows. First, American filmmakers often control costs by filming only establishing shots at expensive locations and then filming the majority of shots on sound stages in cheaper locations. Second, when a lengthy shoot on location is necessary, the cast normally stays in long-term rented accommodations away from the sets. In the case of The White Lotus, the success of the first season meant that White was able to insist on continuing to shoot subsequent seasons on location at Four Seasons resorts, despite the high cost. Another oddity carried over from the first season is that the cast stays at the Four Seasons resort for the duration of filming, meaning they are actually living together on set at the White Lotus for several months in a luxury "theatre camp" atmosphere. This became expensive for some of the regular cast members, since HBO pays for hotel rooms but not incidental expenses.
  
  Having filmed in a tightly secured bubble for the first season, the producers were not strict enough with script security during the second season; for example, too many people on set knew it would be the final season for Coolidge's character, Tanya. For the third season, the script supervisor wrote up "crazy fake endings" that were distributed on set, and the only people on set who knew the real endings were the actors involved in those scenes.
  
  The third season was filmed in Thailand, in part due to the series receiving a $4.4 million tax incentive for filming there. Filming began in February 2024, mainly at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, with other locations including Bangkok and Phuket, and wrapped in August 2024. This was the first season for which Four Seasons openly promoted its connection to the show, since the company had seen increased web traffic, bookings, and occupancy rates at its Maui and Sicily resorts after they were featured on the show.