Published on April 27, 2026 at 15:06
She will indeed be part of the cast of the upcoming season of The White Lotus, a participation that Laura Smet has just confirmed herself. Since the passing of her mother Nathalie Baye, who passed away on April 17 at the age of 77 from Lewy body disease, the 42-year-old actress had not publicly made any appearances, remaining completely out of the spotlight. A few hours after the announcement of the death, she had simply spoken with a heartbreaking message.
Mourning, Laura Smet had then retreated into the silence of grief, before attending Nathalie Baye’s funeral on April 24 at the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris. In this context, many were questioning her ability to fulfill her professional commitments, especially her role in the new season of The White Lotus, whose shooting has just begun in the south of France. This Monday, April 27, 2026, she finally responded not with words, but with an image.
A family tragedy occurred at the worst moment
The cruel coincidence struck people’s minds. April 17, the day of Nathalie Baye’s death, also coincided with the start of filming for season 4 of The White Lotus, the HBO series in which Laura Smet was supposed to participate for the first time. While the actress was learning the terrible news, the production teams were already in full swing between Cannes and Saint-Tropez, the main setting of this new season, with the entire HBO machine in motion. After going through the various casting stages, Laura Smet had joined a prestigious cast including Vincent Cassel and Helena Bonham Carter. A first experience of international scope for the actress, who has mainly worked in French cinema up to this point. In this context, many were wondering about her future in the series, while HBO remained silent and no official communication had been made on either side.
The actress reappeared for the first time on Instagram and confirmed her participation in The White Lotus
The sign finally came on Monday, April 27, through a post shared by Laura Smet on Instagram. In the picture, the actress is seen from behind, by a pool, with the Gulf of Saint-Tropez in the background. A setting immediately recognizable… and especially one of the iconic locations of The White Lotus filming. But it was the tag added to the post that dispelled any remaining doubts: by directly mentioning the HBO series, she confirmed her presence on set. A simple gesture, in her image, without overdoing it or turning this return into an official statement. Ten days after her mother’s passing, Laura Smet is slowly resuming her professional life, with a lot of discretion. No grand speeches, no official statement: just this photo, shared like that, in a post on Instagram. And despite everything she is going through, the actress is there, standing, facing the gulf, and the work continues.
