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.
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.”
