In an interview with Vulture published on June 16, the veteran actor, 62, discussed how much he and his White Lotus season 3 co-stars earned. Isaacs, who played Timothy Ratliff, confirmed that each cast member was paid $40,000 per episode.
“That’s absolutely true,” Isaacs said. “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 it just upsets the public.”
Still, Isaacs described the rate as modest by industry standards. “Compared to what people normally get paid for big television shows, that’s a very low price,” he admitted. “But the fact is, we would have paid to be in it. We probably would have given a body part.”
When asked whether it bothered him to be earning the same as actors with less experience, including co-star Patrick Schwarzenegger, who portrayed his son Saxon Ratliff, Isaacs was quick to dismiss the concern.
“Do I mind that I wasn’t paid more than other people? I never work for money,” he said. “I mean, I’ve done all right. People think I have huge stockpiles of money, but sadly, I’ve pretty much spent everything I’ve earned over the years.”
The show’s creators had previously addressed the series’ unique pay structure. In April, casting director Meredith Tucker and executive producer David Bernad told The Hollywood Reporter that all cast members were treated equally.
“Everyone is treated the same on The White Lotus,” said Bernad. “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, “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.”
Bernad emphasized, “And it’s not negotiable.”