Jason Isaacs is sharing his thoughts on receiving the same pay for The White Lotus as his co-stars.
The actor, who played Timothy Ratliff, the patriarch of the Ratliff family, on season three of Mike White’s hit series, recently confirmed to Vulture that each actor earned $40,000 an episode. While that’s low for a show of this scale, Isaacs said it didn’t impact his decision to join the cast.
“I didn’t know that was public knowledge. That’s absolutely true,” he admitted. “Generally actors don’t talk about pay in public because it’s ridiculously disproportionate to what we do — putting on makeup and funny voices — and just upsets the public. But compared to what people normally get paid for big television shows, that’s a very low price. But the fact is, we would have paid to be in it. We probably would have given a body part.”
When asked if he minded being paid the same as some of his fellow White Lotus co-stars who have shorter acting résumés, such as Patrick Schwarzenegger and Aimee Lou Wood, Isaacs responded, “I never work for money.”
“I mean, I’ve done all right,” he added about his financial status. “People will think I have huge stockpiles of money but sadly, what I’ve done rather immaturely is expand my outgoings to match my incomings and pretty much spent everything I’ve earned over the years.”
Following the release of the HBO show’s third season, producer David Bernad told The Hollywood Reporter, “Everyone is treated the same on The White Lotus. They get paid the same, and we do alphabetical billing, so you’re getting people who want to do the project for the right reasons, not to quote The Bachelor. It’s a system we developed in the first season because there was no money to make the show.”
Casting director Meredith Tucker added about the equal pay policy, “It makes it so much easier. You tell people this is what it is. And some won’t do it — and honestly, you can’t hold it against people who need to make a living. Our series regulars are pretty much doing this for scale.”
Before Isaacs’ iconic role as Timothy Ratliff, he had long been capturing audiences’ attention with his performances in dozens of other projects, including the Harry Potter franchise, Star Trek: Discovery and his breakout role in 2000’s The Patriot, opposite Mel Gibson.
Elsewhere in his interview with Vulture, Isaacs also shared where his relationship stands with Gibson, following the actor’s antisemitic remarks in 2006 while being arrested for drunk driving.
“He’s said and done some things that are unconscionable and unforgivable,” the Peter Pan actor said, admitting that he hasn’t had much to do with his former co-star since the whole ordeal.
“I was invited by my friend to some charity cricket event for Australians in film,” Isaacs recalled. “And he said, ‘If you come, Mel will.’ And I said, ‘I don’t want to see Mel.’ I hadn’t seen him since that terrible antisemitic outburst when he got stopped by the police. And my friend said, ‘Come on, mate. We’ll get loads of money for charity.’”
He continued, “So I went, and Mel was there, and he called ‘Jace’ across the room, very friendly. I went, ‘Rabbi Gibson, how are we?’ He came up and he said, ‘I was really drunk, man. I was trying to get him to hit me or shoot me or something. I’m having a terrible time.’ And he proceeded to unload some very personal things. He’s not my friend, but — maybe to my eternal shame — I forgave him instantly because he was there making himself vulnerable.”
Isaacs later clarified that he’s “not saying I forgive Mel,” but “if he knocked on my door tonight and said, ‘Look, my hotel’s canceled. Can I stay?’ I’d say, ‘Yes,’ probably.”
