Jason Isaacs Spills All the Tea on ‘The White Lotus’ Salaries: $40,000 Each?!
Equal pay in Hollywood?! The White Lotus thinks it’s possible. Here's what Jason Isaacs had to say about the money.
The White Lotus is the clever satire created by Mike White. While we're all obsessed with the drama, Jason Isaacs (Season 3) just confirmed the truth about the cast's paychecks.
The White Lotus paycheck: $40,000 per episode. Yep, everyone's salary was equal in Season 3. That means that actors who appeared in every episode got a total of $320,000 (including Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Aimee Lou Wood and others).
Jason Isaacs Think $40,000 Is Not a Lot for ‘The White Lotus’
In his interview with Vulture, Isaacs was taken aback that this information was in the open, saying:
“I didn’t know that was public knowledge. That’s absolutely true. 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.”
Yet: he also acknowledged that this kind of paycheck is not really that huge.
“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,” Isaacs revealed.
Equal Pay: Did ‘The White Lotus’ Just Set a New Standard for TV?
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When asked about earning the same as newer actors like Patrick Schwarzenegger, Isaacs showed zero ego by saying:
“Do I mind that I wasn’t paid more than other people? I never work for money. I mean, I’ve done all right.”
Interesting: this could actually become a new standard for TV shows. The White Lotus’ equal pay strategy might inspire other productions to follow it as well.
The show's approach is particularly refreshing given the industry's history of massive pay gaps between established and emerging talent.
But will other productions follow? It's complicated. While $40K per episode might seem like pocket change compared to what some A-listers typically command, it could set a precedent for future shows. And as Isaacs pointed out, being part of such a critically acclaimed series is worth way more than just the paycheck.
‘White Lotus’ Season 3: Where to Watch?
You can catch The White Lotus on Max right now.
