The fourth season of HBO’s acclaimed series, The White Lotus, is bringing aboard additional high-profile talent, introducing three prominent figures from Hollywood to its ensemble.

Joining the cast are Ben Kingsley, aged 82, Max Minghella, aged 40, and Pekka Strang, aged 48. While the specifics of their characters remain under wraps, their involvement promises fresh intrigue.

The show’s official Instagram account made the announcement on Monday, with the caption, ‘New company is on the way. #TheWhiteLotus season 4 welcomes Ben Kingsley, Max Minghella and Pekka Strang.’

This new chapter, crafted by creator Mike White, will chronicle the experiences of a new set of hotel patrons and staff over the course of a week, with the glamorous backdrop of the Cannes Film Festival setting the stage.

Production is currently underway in France, capturing the essence of this celebrated event.

Sir Ben Kingsley, whose illustrious career has spanned over five decades, is celebrated for his roles in cinematic classics such as Schindler’s List (1993), Gandhi (1982), and Shutter Island (2010).

HBO’s The White Lotus has expanded its cast for season four, welcoming three major new Hollywood names: Ben Kingsley, 82 (L), Max Minghella, 40 (R), and Pekka Strang, 48

Acclaimed Finnish actor Strang pictured in 2023

He most recently starred in the 2026 horror Deep Water alongside Aaron Eckhart. 

Meanwhile Minghella is best known for playing Nick Blaine – a brooding commander and primary love interest to Elisabeth Moss’s June Osborne – on the popular Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale.

Acclaimed Finnish actor Strang rose to fame with standout roles in the show Mister 8 (2021), the comedy Dogs Don’t Wear Pants (2019) and Tom Of Finland (2017). 

Other cast members include Laura Dern, Heather Graham, Monica Bellucci’s ex-husband Vincent Cassel, Steve Coogan, Dylan Ennis, Caleb Jonte Edwards and Kumail Nanjiani.

The announcement came after it was revealed that Helena Bonham Carter, 59, has left the shoot of season four, just days after production began in the South of France.

It emerged last month that filming had commenced on the hit HBO show, an anthology series with a new storyline set in a different exotic locale each season.

However, HBO released a statement announcing Carter’s departure from the show over creative concerns involving her role.

‘With filming just underway on season four of The White Lotus, it had become apparent that the character which Mike White created for Helena Bonham Carter did not align once on set,’ the network revealed to TMZ.

With a career spanning over 50 years, Oscar winner Kingsley has starred in Hollywood masterpieces like Schindler’s List (1993); Seen in a still with Liam Neeson

Minghella is best known for playing Nick Blaine – a brooding commander and primary love interest to Elisabeth Moss’s June Osborne – on The Handmaid’s Tale; Seen in a still 

Strang rose to fame with standout roles in the show Mister 8 (2021), the comedy Dogs Don’t Wear Pants (2019) and Tom Of Finland (2017 – seen in a still)

The announcement came after it was revealed that Helena Bonham Carter, 59, left the shoot of season four, just days after production began in the South of France;  She is seen in January

It emerged last month that filming had commenced on the hit HBO show, an anthology series with a new storyline set in a different exotic locale each season

The real-life Airelles Chateau de la Messardiere in Saint-Tropez will be a filming location for the fictional White Lotus du Cap 

Season four would have seen Carter join an all-star cast including Heather Graham (pictured last month), Sandra Bernhard, Vincent Cassel, Steve Coogan and Rosie Perez

The cast features Hollywood names like Kumail Nanjiani, Ari Graynor, Chloe Bennet, Max Greenfield and AJ Michalka, as well as Australian unknown Caleb Jonte Edwards (pictured) 

‘The role has subsequently been rethought, is being rewritten and will be recast in the coming weeks,’ continued the premium cable broadcaster.

In their statement, the network noted: ‘HBO, the producers and Mike White are saddened that they won’t get to work with her, but remain ardent fans and very much hope to work with the legendary actress on another project soon.’

Fans flocked to social media bewailing the news, leaving such comments as: ‘Oh my she’s the one I’m looking forward to see in this season!!!!’

Dismayed Instagram users posted reactions like: ‘I’m depressed,’ ‘So the main character is gone…,’ and: ‘NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.’ 

Some, however, already had a replacement in mind, clamoring for HBO to cast Jennifer Tilly, a star of Woody Allen’s Bullets over Broadway who has recently acquired a new fanbase on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Created by White, the show revolves around the exploits of the guests and staff at a different location of the titular hotel chain every season.

Originally, the through-line was the Jennifer Coolidge character Tanya McQuoid, a daffy rich older lady who led the first two seasons while the rest of the cast changed.

The buzzy third season went viral for the incest sex scene between brothers played by ‘nepo baby’ heartthrobs Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola, as well as for the rumors of a feud between co-stars Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood.

While the first three seasons were set in Hawaii, Sicily and Thailand, the fourth will unfold mainly on the French Riviera and partly in Paris.

Originally, the through-line was the Jennifer Coolidge character Tanya McQuoid, a daffy older lady who led the first two seasons while the rest of the cast changed; pictured season two

The buzzy third season went viral for the incest sex scene between brothers played by ‘nepo baby’ heartthrobs Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola (pictured)

Season three also wound up generating headlines because of the persistent rumors of a feud between co-stars Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood

European talent have been enlisted to add a touch of authenticity to the setting, such as Corentin Fila, Laura Smet and Nadia Tereszkiewicz from France, Frida Gustavsson from Sweden and Tobias Santelmann from Norway.

It has emerged that the real-life Airelles Chateau de la Messardiere in Saint-Tropez will be a filming location for the fictional White Lotus du Cap, while the Hotel Martinez will play both the White Lotus du Cap and the White Lotus Cannes.

The name of the White Lotus du Cap is a playful nod to the world-famous Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, an A-list nexus during the Cannes Film Festival.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton notoriously carried on a torrid love affair there while married to other people, then returned there for their own honeymoon.

In a significant development within China’s military leadership, two former defense ministers have been handed death sentences with a two-year reprieve on charges of corruption. This marks one of the harshest penalties given to high-ranking military figures in recent times.

According to a report by Reuters, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu were sentenced on May 7, following convictions for graft by China’s military court. This information was confirmed by state media outlets.

The verdict highlights the ongoing intensity of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign targeting the armed forces, a move aimed at rooting out corruption from the military ranks.

As reported by the official Xinhua News Agency, the court found Wei guilty of accepting bribes, while Li faced convictions for both accepting and offering bribes.

Wei Fenghe held the position of China’s defense minister from 2018 to 2023, a tenure during which he was regarded as a prominent figure in the military establishment.

Both men were also stripped of their political rights for life and ordered to forfeit all personal property.

Under Chinese law, a death sentence with a two-year reprieve is typically commuted to life imprisonment if the individual does not commit further crimes during the suspension period.

In this case, the penalties will be reduced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or further commutation after the reprieve period ends.

Former Defence Minister Li Shangfu was the successor to Wei (Caroline Chia / Reuters)

Wei Fenghe, 72, served as China’s defense minister from 2018 to 2023, while Li Shangfu, 68, held the post for only a few months as his successor.

Both men were former state councillors and members of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), the top military leadership body chaired by Xi.

They also previously led the People’s Liberation Army’s Rocket Force, a key branch established in 2015 as part of Xi’s sweeping military reforms.

The Rocket Force oversees China’s nuclear arsenal as well as its conventional missile systems, making it one of the most strategically significant arms of the military.

The sentences signal an escalation in Xi’s campaign to root out corruption in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), a drive that has targeted senior officials since he took power in 2012.

Chinese President Xi Jinping walks with soldiers in uniform as the House Select Committee on China raises concerns about taxpayer dollars going to CCP-linked entities. (Li Gang/Xinhua)

The crackdown intensified in 2023, when investigations reached the Rocket Force and other elite units.

Both Wei and Li were expelled from the ruling Communist Party in June 2024.

Singapore-based security scholar James Char told Reuters the sentences were the harshest imposed on members of the Central Military Commission in recent history.

“That Wei and Li have been commuted to life imprisonment without parole or commutation underlines the severity of their offences,” he said.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a London-based think tank, had previously warned that the ongoing purges could be weakening China’s military command structure.

The organization said the campaign may have created disruptions that could affect the readiness of the country’s rapidly modernizing armed forces.

A Maryland resident struck it lucky with a $50,000 lottery win by using an unusual source of inspiration: the license plate of her husband’s old car, which he can’t seem to part with, officials reported.

This fortunate woman from St. Mary’s County shared with the Maryland Lottery that the idea came from the “distinctive five-digit number” displayed on her husband’s aging vehicle, which remains parked in their driveway as a constant reminder of its former glory.

“One day, as she gazed at the relic, she decided to turn it into a cash opportunity,” noted the Maryland Lottery in a recent press release.

After faithfully playing the same set of numbers for more than a year, this dedicated medical professional and grandmother finally hit the jackpot, securing her $50,000 win this past April, according to lottery officials.

“Pick 5 is my game of choice,” the winner, who chose to remain anonymous, stated confidently.

The probability of winning the $50,000 prize is 1 in 100,000 and requires betting $1 on guessing the exact 5-digit combination drawn.

The lucky winner said she plans to use the extra cash to pay off bills and will use the rest to “spoil her grandchildren.”

Atrium Spirits in Charlotte Hall, where the winning ticket was purchased, will also get a $500 bonus, the agency added.

For the first time since her affair scandal became public, former NFL reporter Dianna Russini was spotted on Sunday, standing firm with her husband in a show of solidarity.

Photographs obtained by Page Six capture the former ESPN correspondent sharing a kiss with her husband, Kevin Goldschmidt, outside their New Jersey residence on Mother’s Day.

In the photos, Russini is seen holding their youngest son while sharing a warm embrace with Goldschmidt, who holds a senior executive position at Shake Shack, and whom she married in 2020.

This affectionate moment is the couple’s first public appearance since shocking allegations about Russini’s alleged involvement with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel came to light.

According to a source who spoke to Page Six, the couple is navigating the ongoing repercussions of these affair allegations together.

‘People in the community have said they’ve been very resilient as a family. They haven’t been in hiding,’ the source told the outlet.

Dianna Russini was seen for the first time on Sunday since affair allegations emerged surrounding herself and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel

The former ESPN star was seen kissing her husband, Kevin Goldschmidt, outside their New Jersey home for Mother’s Day (Russini and Goldschmidt pictured back in 2023)

Rumors of an affair between the two began in March when the New York Post published photos of the NFL insider and coach hugging and hanging out poolside at an adults-only Arizona resort.

Although both initially denied cheating on their respective spouses, Vrabel has since apologized for his ‘actions,’ while stopping short of specifically admitting to an affair. 

The married father of two adult sons briefly stepped away from the Patriots during April’s NFL Draft to go through counseling with his family. 

The Post has since published photos of Vrabel and Russini enjoying breakfast together at the aforementioned Arizona resort and other pictures showing the two kissing at a New York bar, reportedly, in March of 2020. 

Furthermore, the Daily Mail has also published photos of Vrabel with Russini at a Biloxi, Mississippi, casino in January of 2024.

The scandal took a fresh twist last Thursday when video footage emerged of them arriving for their romantic boat trip that allegedly took place just months before she gave birth to her first son.

Russini and Vrabel reportedly hired a vessel for two or three hours in June 2021, when he was still coaching the Tennessee Titans and she was reporting on him for ESPN.

A source with knowledge of the rental said Vrabel and Russini were the only people on board, and that claim was supported by a signed company waiver reviewed by TMZ.

Russini is pictured interviewing Vrabel in 2019, when he was coaching the Titans  

Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, for over two decades and they have two children

Then, The Daily Mail obtained video footage of the couple walking along the dock of a private rental company near a lake in Putnam County, Tennessee. Russini could be seen strolling a few steps ahead of Vrabel.

But it’s clear that Russini is pregnant at the time of the video when she turns around to speak to Vrabel. The pair were dressed for a day on the water, wearing T-shirts and shorts.

Vrabel and Russini were said to be hesitant to have their pictures taken with fans that day. It was also alleged by TMZ that she declined to have a photo taken with fans, while he agreed on the condition that it not be posted online.

Russini went on to give birth to her first of two sons, named Mike, in August 2021. TMZ reported that Russini named him after her brother, Michael Russini, not the now-Patriots coach.

Meanwhile, on Monday, a new photo emerged showing Patriots head coach Vrabel and reporter Russini cozying up together at a Super Bowl party.

The images, obtained by TMZ , show the pair in an intimate conversation during a VIP bash at The Forum in Los Angeles just days before Super Bowl LVI in February 2022.

In the photo, Russini is seen with her hand resting firmly on Vrabel’s back as she leans in close to speak into the ear of the then-Tennessee Titans head coach.

Elsewhere last week, a separate clip from the same interview also went viral, after Russini made a wild comment about having sex with her husband. 

Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel both appeared on ‘Barstool Feud’ during a Covid lockdown 

The interview is believed to have been filmed in April 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russini and Vrabel are on the Zoom call but seemingly in separate locations.

Russini was asked to name ‘something you close your eyes to do?’

The NFL insider then bizarrely responded: ‘When you have sex with your husband or wife.’

The rest of the guests burst out laughing while some squirmed awkwardly. It appears Vrabel is using a laptop to the side of his camera shot and briefly pauses what he is doing and shakes his head at Russini’s answer. 

The United States Department of State revealed on Monday that it declined to endorse a “progress” declaration by the International Migration Review Forum, criticizing the United Nations for allegedly promoting “replacement immigration” in the U.S. and more broadly in Western countries.

The State Department disclosed in a statement that the U.S. opted out of the second International Migration Review Forum, which took place from May 5 to May 8 at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, and has chosen not to back the resulting declaration.

This forum serves as the primary global stage for U.N. member states to assess the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, as outlined by the U.N. Network on Migration. The event scheduled for 2026 aims to produce a “Progress Declaration” agreed upon by governments.

During his first term in 2017, President Donald Trump withdrew U.S. involvement in the U.N.’s efforts to develop the Global Compact for Migration. The State Department has now reiterated the federal government’s stance against participating in this initiative.

President Donald Trump ended U.S. participation in the U.N. process to develop the Global Compact for Migration during his first term in 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The Global Compact was adopted in 2018 after the U.S. withdrew from the process. The U.N. and International Organization for Migration describe the compact as a cooperative framework intended to improve migration governance across countries.

“As Secretary Rubio said, opening our doors to mass migration was a grave mistake that threatens the cohesion of our societies and the future of our peoples,” the department’s statement reads. “ In recent years, Americans witnessed first-hand how mass immigration laid waste to our communities: crime and chaos at the border, states of emergency in major cities, and billions of taxpayer dollars funneled towards hotels, plane tickets, cell phones and cash cards for migrants.”

“Much of this was driven by UN agencies and their partners, which did not just facilitate the invasion of our country, but proceeded to redistribute our own people’s wealth and resources to millions of foreigners from the worst corners of the world,” it continued.

The department argued there was nothing safe, orderly or regular about any of this, adding that the costs “were borne primarily by working Americans forced to compete for scarce jobs, housing, and social services.”

“The UN has little to say about them,” the department wrote.

The U.S. refused to participate in an International Migration Review Forum. ( Alex Brandon / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

“President Trump is focused on the interests of Americans, not foreigners or globalist bureaucrats,” the statement reads. ”The United States will not support a process that imposes, overtly or by stealth, guidelines, standards, or commitments that constrain the American people’s sovereign, democratic right to make decisions in the best interests of our country.”

The department concluded its statement by saying its goal is not to “manage” migration, but to “foster remigration.”

In a thread on X also announcing the move to object to the declaration, the department said UN agencies “systematically facilitated mass migration into America and Europe, even as citizens of these nations called for restrictions on migration.” It added that U.N. materials related to the Global Compact call for expanding regular migration pathways and reference “regularization” of migrants.

The International Organization for Migration says the forum is held every four years for countries to review progress and shape next steps on migration policy. IOM, which coordinates the U.N. Network on Migration, says the network includes 39 U.N. agencies working to support countries on migration issues.

The department alleged that “UN agencies – working with the NGOs they fund – established a migration corridor through Central America and to the U.S. border,” the post reads. “As the American people suffered under an unprecedented wave of mass migration, the UN was on the ground pipelining migrants to our southern border.”

The State Department said its goal is not to “manage” migration, but to “foster remigration.” (Denis Balibouse/File Photo/Reuters)

“After facilitating mass migration to the United States, UN agencies condemned the deportation of illegal immigrants,” the post continued. “While the United Kingdom faced unprecedented illegal boat crossings, UN agencies condemned plans for deportations. UN officials lobbied aviation regulators to prevent the deportation of migrants – an appalling violation of the UK’s national sovereignty.”

The U.N. Network on Migration describes the compact as “non-legally binding.” A U.N.-hosted text of the compact also says it respects states’ sovereign right to determine their national migration policies and to distinguish between regular and irregular migration status.

The declaration itself says the Global Compact is a cooperative framework and acknowledges that no state can address migration alone, while also upholding the sovereignty of states.

The department pushed back on the compact’s framing of migration as “safe, orderly and regular.”

“For the citizens of Western nations, mass migration was never safe. It introduced new security threats, imposed financial strains, and undermined the cohesion of our societies,” it wrote.

“The United States will not legitimize global compacts that enable mass migration into America or Western nations,” the post added.

U.N. materials frame the compact as a cooperative framework for issues that often cross borders, including labor migration, border management, migrant protections and development. U.N. agencies, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, describe the IMRF as a state-led review process with participation from relevant stakeholders.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.N. for comment.

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In Washington, D.C., a unique branch of the U.S. Secret Service is dedicated to safeguarding not only high-profile figures such as the president but also the general populace, through cutting-edge research and strategic planning.

The I-Team took an exclusive trip to the National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) in the capital, delving into the operations of this specialized segment.

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For almost three decades, NTAC has been at the forefront of educating individuals, including recent sessions for hundreds in Gurnee, on how to recognize potential threats and take swift preventive action.

The core objective of the National Threat Assessment Center is to thwart violent incidents before they occur.

Lina Alathari, the head of NTAC, explained to the I-Team, “NTAC was founded to research and analyze what we term targeted violence—intentional attacks aimed at individuals, groups, or specific locations with the intent to inflict harm.”

This center was created by the Secret Service a year before the 1999 Columbine school shooting.

“Our staff at the National Threat Assessment Center have studied targeted violence and prevention through behavioral threat assessment and also brings the Secret Service’s operational expertise in how to prevent not only assassination, but school shootings, workplace violence and attacks against houses of worship,” said NTAC Assistant Chief Steven Driscoll.

NTAC studies the behaviors, backgrounds, and motivations of attackers to identify patterns.

“If communities can be equipped with the right kind of programs to identify signs and intervene, we can save lives,” said Driscoll.

“Thousands of schools across the country are already implementing what we call multi-tiered systems of support where… Those teams are working with those individual students that have very severe, concerning behaviors,” said NTAC Education Program Specialist Kelsey Morris.

Not surprisingly, their research shows people planning attacks are suffering.

“Things like job loss, divorce, substance abuse, or mental health stressors…bullying,” said Driscoll.

NTAC provides emergency consulting when there is an imminent threat.

“As part of our case consultation mission we are able to meet with law enforcement, school personnel and talk through some of these concerning cases,” NTAC’s Katie Lord told the I-Team.

Investigators say most of the alarming communication happens in person but there are also threats made on social media and other platforms.

“Oftentimes people feel like they’re at the end of their rope,” said Driscoll.

SEE ALSO | Secret Service runs specialized training in Illinois’ Lake County to help prevent targeted violence