“The White Lotus” may regularly explore wealth inequality, but it turns out that the HBO show’s cast members all stand on equal ground — financially, at least.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, “The White Lotus” producer David Bernad revealed that the acclaimed dramedy pays its cast members the same rate every season. “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.’”
Apparently, that is a practice Bernad, “White Lotus” creator Mike White and HBO adopted when they made the show’s first season, which was shot on location in Hawaii in late 2020 in the midst of the COVID pandemic. “It’s a system we developed in the first season because there was no money to make the show,” Bernad added. “And it’s not negotiable.”
THR reports that sources say the show’s cast members make around $40,000 per episode. For “The White Lotus” Season 3, which spans eight episodes, that would mean its stars were each paid roughly $320,000 for the entire season.
When he was in talks to play the role of Rick Hatchett in “The White Lotus” Season 3, “True Detective” star Woody Harrelson reportedly sought out Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav to see if he could be paid more. His efforts were unsuccessful, but he still signed on to play the character. Scheduling conflicts ended up forcing his departure from the project, though, and he was replaced by “Fallout” star Walton Goggins.
According to “White Lotus” casting director Meredith Tucker, the series’ fixed pay rate actually makes it easier for her to find its stars each season. “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,” she said. “Our series regulars are pretty much doing this for scale.”
Speaking recently with IMDb, “White Lotus” Season 3 cast members Parker Posey and Sarah Catherine Hook had nothing but good things to say about their experiences working on the show and collaborating with White, who writes and directs every episode of the series. “I like his tone, and I like his sense of humor,” series standout Posey said. “He’s such a great writer in how he writes characters. So then there’s a lot for the actor to fill.”
Hook, who plays the daughter of Posey’s Victoria Ratliff in “The White Lotus” Season 3, echoed her co-star’s sentiment. “What he’s really good at is caring very deeply, but also not making it such a big deal,” she said of White. “He keeps it super light for us. I never felt pressured by him.”
The “White Lotus” Season 3 finale airs Sunday, April 6 on HBO.
