Watch the debate as Jason Isaacs discusses the negative reactions to The White Lotus, a story that combines Hollywood drama with college morals to provoke thought.
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Why did the Duke T-shirt cause a fuss?
In a crucial scene in The White Lotus, Jason Isaacs’ character unexpectedly donned a Duke University T-shirt.
The 61-year-old actor played Timothy Ratliff, who was considering committing suicide in Episode 8.
He was wearing the gray shirt with blue letters on it. People didn’t like this surprising choice, so Duke University made a strong statement distancing itself from the shirt’s image.
What did Duke think about the picture?
The university felt misled, right? Yes, Duke quickly clarified it that the plot “does not reflect our values or who we are.”
Their communications vice president clarified it that using the school’s brands without permission caused misunderstanding and gave the impression of inappropriate support.
Duke recognized the importance of artistic expression, yet they believed it was excessive to associate their brand with such unsettling imagery, particularly in a scenario where a character was holding a gun to his head.
What did Jason Isaacs say about the backlash?
Why did Isaacs suggest the T-shirt in the first place? He said it on SiriusXM’s Literally! His pitch to costume designer Alex Bovaird was based on the idea that his character, who went to Duke and is likely well-known, would wear it to bed.
Isaacs said that all designs are usually okay for TV, so the uproar shocked him.
“Someone at Duke thought that was really wrong,” he said, adding that a real graduate might cause more problems than a made-up one.
What effects has the event had on Isaacs?
Has the debate caused Isaacs to change his mind? Not really; he found it funny. While stuck at Charlotte Airport without his bags, he bought another Duke T-shirt by accident and got more from friends in Virginia.
They came from Durham to praise his correct speech and ask him not to pay attention to the negative comments.
Isaacs joked, “Sorry, Duke, there goes my honorary degree,” while wearing the shirt to events like the party for the end of The White Lotus season 3.
Where can people watch the show and get help?
What’s next for people who like the show? You can watch The White Lotus on Max. The third season of this show ended with some intriguing stories.
If you are worried about suicide because of sensitive topics in the show, remember that you can get help by calling 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, texting “STRENGTH” to 741741, or going to 988lifeline.org.