AceShowbiz - "The White Lotus" is known for its riveting on-screen drama, but production of the currently-airing third season was filled with off-screen tensions as well. Cristobal Tapia de Veer, the acclaimed composer of the HBO series, has announced his departure due to creative differences with the show's creator, Mike White.

In an interview with The New York Times, Tapia de Veer, who won three Emmys for his work on the show, disclosed that he and Mike White had different visions for the music since Season 1, culminating in heated clashes during Season 3.

Originally, Tapia de Veer's eerie theme with the distinctive "ooh-loo-loo-loo" chorus set the unsettling tone for the first two seasons. Each season saw variations, including tribal drums and nightclub tones. However, this season, White preferred a more "background music" feel, akin to sounds heard in an "Ibiza club with a chill, sexy vibe."

This change did not sit well with fans. Social media exploded with complaints about the absence of the beloved "ooh-loo-loo-loos." Tapia de Veer himself faced the backlash, receiving numerous calls from media outlets.

Despite his suggestion to release a longer version of the original theme, Mike White decided against it, further straining their relationship. Tapia de Veer ended up posting the uncut version of the theme song on YouTube.

Eventually, Tapia de Veer opted to leave, revealing to the editorial team but not to White directly. The decision leaked out nonetheless, fueling further discord. He likened the dispute to "a rock 'n' roll band story" in which "the guitar player doesn't understand the singer at all."

Despite the obstacles, the composer felt "pretty proud" of his work and the fact that he "never gave up" fighting for his vision. "Maybe I was being unprofessional, and for sure Mike feels that I was always unprofessional to him because I didn't give him what he wanted. But what I gave him did this, you know - did those Emmys, people going crazy," he said.

Unfortunately, he lamented, there were not "many allies in there" to support him.

The cast also hinted at the turbulent production environment. Jason Isaacs, who plays Timothy Ratliff, compared the filming process at a luxurious Thai hotel to an off-screen White Lotus with intense conditions and personal frictions.

"Some people got very close, there were friendships that were made and friendships that were lost," he dished on. "They say in the show, 'What happens in Thailand stays in Thailand,' but there's an off-screen White Lotus as well, with fewer deaths but just as much drama."

Without getting into specific, he said, "All the things you would imagine with a group of people unanchored from their home lives on the other side of the world, in the intense pressure cooker of the working environment with eye-melting heat and insects and late nights."

Aimee Lou Wood described the experience as a social experiment, emphasizing the extreme but unforgettable nature of the production. "I don't know whether I'd describe it as fun," she said.

As Season 3 of "The White Lotus" concludes, the behind-the-scenes drama underscores the complexity of creative collaboration in hit TV shows. While fans remain polarized over the new theme, the departure of Tapia de Veer marks the end of an era for the acclaimed series.