Turns out paradise comes at a price — and it’s not a high one.
Jason Isaacs, one of the stars of HBO’s The White Lotus Season 3, revealed that every cast member earned just $40,000 per episode, calling it “a very low price” for a show of its scale.
“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,” Isaacs told Vulture in an interview published Monday.
“But compared to what people normally get paid for big television shows, that’s a very low price.”
Still, the Harry Potter alum said the experience was worth far more than the paycheck. “We would have paid to be in it,” he said. “We probably would have given a body part.”
When asked about being paid the same as less experienced actors like Patrick Schwarzenegger, Isaacs, 62, didn’t flinch. “I never work for money,” he said, adding, “I mean, I’ve done all right.”
But he confessed that despite decades in the business, his finances might not be as solid as people assume. “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.”
Isaacs starred in the third season of the Emmy-winning series alongside Schwarzenegger, Aimee Lou Wood, Walton Goggins, Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Sam Nivola, Sarah Catherine Hook, and more.
Back in April, the show’s producer David Bernad and casting director Meredith Tucker confirmed the flat pay model in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“Everyone is treated the same on The White Lotus,” Bernad said. “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.”
Tucker added, “Our series regulars are pretty much doing this for scale,” referring to the minimum union-mandated pay for actors.
“It makes it so much easier,” she continued. “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.”
Even Oscar-nominated actor Woody Harrelson reportedly couldn’t secure a raise for the role of Rick Hatchett — despite lobbying all the way up to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. Sources said he eventually dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.
