‘White Lotus’ Star Jason Isaacs Says Duke ‘Clearly’ Wanted to ‘Go Viral’ With T-Shirt Backlash: ‘Fanciful and Ridiculous’

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Despite Duke University expressing displeasure over the incidental advertising in “The White Lotus” Season 3, Jason Isaacs relished the opportunity to poke fun at the institution, as his character donned a Duke T-shirt during a dream sequence depicting a murder-suicide scenario. Subsequently, Duke University publicly voiced their objections against the utilization of their emblem in the show.

[The White Lotus] employs our brand without authorization, and in our opinion, it misuses it in disturbing visuals that contradict our values and identity,” said Frank Tramble, Vice President of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs at Duke, to The New York Times.

At the Season 3 finale of “The White Lotus,” I made a point to show up wearing a shirt from Duke’s alma mater, not exactly as a direct response but more like a playful jab. In an interview on the Prestige Junkie podcast, I confessed that I was aiming to stir things up a bit after Duke’s rather excessive reaction.

Isaacs stated that he purchased the t-shirt because his flight was canceled by the airline and they took his luggage, leaving him without any spare clothes for the morning. With no other options available at the Charlotte Airport, he decided to buy it as a last resort, and also because he thought it might stir up some fun.

He went on to say that he thought the situation was somewhat humorous. He doesn’t enjoy seeing people upset, but it seemed like someone was seeking attention by having their name mentioned online. Given the questionable nature of many alumni, it’s hard to believe that a character portrayed as enlightened on television could cause them any genuine trouble. This idea appears far-fetched and absurd.

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2025-04-12 21:16