In a striking revelation, Jason Isaacs disclosed that one of his co-stars, whom he labeled as a ‘global icon,’ was the ‘worst bully ever.’ The actor, known for his role in ‘The White Lotus,’ recounted an incident during a candid conversation with Vulture, published on Monday, where a notable actor physically pushed him out of a shot.
“Oh Jesus. Did worse than that,” Isaacs reflected on the experience.
The unidentified A-list actor, according to Isaacs, employed ‘all the old tricks of doing a completely different performance off-camera than on.’ At 62, Isaacs remarked, “Yeah, it sucked. I’d never seen anything like it.” He added that in the past, he would have revered this individual.
Though Isaacs chose not to reveal the name of the actor in question, he mentioned that he has encountered numerous individuals in the industry who are ‘bonkers.’ He noted, “When I think someone’s terrible, someone else might think they’re brilliant. One of the things that’s very charismatic is madness.”
Isaacs emphasized that his main criterion for judgment on set leans toward bad behavior. He pointed out, “It’s selfishness, cruelty, bullying, or people complaining to the person who’s getting them dressed, who doesn’t get in a year what they earn in a day to pick their filthy underwear off the floor.”
He also recounted noticing unprofessional behavior among actors, such as failing to show up, leaving early, using drugs, and calling ‘prostitutes to their trailer.’
“I come across all that stuff,” he continued, refusing to name any specific individuals. Isaacs explained, “There is no value, other than masochism and sabotage, in telling people the truth about people I’ve worked with or experiences I’ve had.” He concluded, “Acting is all about secrets.”
In a separate part of the interview, Isaacs discussed the ‘very low’ compensation of $40,000 per episode that he and his co-stars received for the third season of ‘The White Lotus.’ Despite this, he acknowledged that cast members ‘would have paid to be in it.’
“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 explained, adding, “But compared to what people normally get paid for big television shows, that’s a very low price.” He concluded with a humorous note: “The fact is, we would have paid to be in it. We probably would have given a body part.”