Jason Isaacs on The White Lotus Season 3: A Piña Colada-Fueled Interview
Renowned actor Jason Isaacs has made a name for himself in various film and television roles, from his iconic portrayal of Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter series to his recent appearance in The White Lotus Season 3. In a candid interview with Gold Derby, Isaacs opens up about his experience playing Timothy Ratliff, a scandal-hiding financier with a dark secret.
According to Gold Derby, Isaacs has noticed a peculiar side effect of his role in The White Lotus: people keep offering him piña coladas. "People offer me piña coladas everywhere I go," he reveals. "I was on the Tennis Channel [last month], because I’m a tennis buff and I was talking about tennis, and they brought out a smoothie — a blender with piña coladas in it." As reported by Gold Derby, this phenomenon is a direct reference to his character’s infamous piña colada scene in the show.
Isaacs’ portrayal of Timothy Ratliff is a complex and nuanced one, and he took his role very seriously. As per Gold Derby, he auditioned for the part, working with dialect coach Liz Himelstein to perfect his Southern accent and watching archival footage of Durham politicians to get into character. He also consulted with his psychiatrist brother to understand how someone with Timothy’s issues would behave.
In an excerpt from the interview published on Gold Derby, Isaacs explains that he was worried about taking on the role, particularly when he read the script for the piña colada scene. "It was one of the reasons I was worried about taking the job," he admits. "People killing their whole families happens. It’s heartbreaking. It’s often someone who’s been through a horrible divorce, so it’s out of spite that the other person couldn’t get the kids. But for the reason that Mike’s created… This is different. This is a Greek tragedy."
As reported by Gold Derby, Isaacs’ performance in The White Lotus Season 3 has garnered significant attention, with his character’s storyline being a major talking point among fans and critics alike. In the interview, he discusses the challenges of filming out of sequence and how he navigated Timothy’s unraveling mental state.
The interview, as published on Gold Derby, also touches on Isaacs’ working relationship with creator Mike White. According to Gold Derby, Isaacs praises White’s directing style, saying that he "shrieks" and "shouts out" suggestions to actors on set. "He does a weird thing, like if you’re old enough to remember Peter Falk’s Columbo: Columbo always used to leave the suspect in the end," Isaacs explains.
Overall, Jason Isaacs’ interview with Gold Derby provides a fascinating insight into his experience playing Timothy Ratliff in The White Lotus Season 3. As reported by Gold Derby, his performance is a testament to his skill and versatility as an actor, and his conversation with Gold Derby is a must-read for fans of the show.
