‘It’s not negotiable’: You won’t believe how much The White Lotus cast gets paid

The White Lotus has been giving us all the drama, luxury, and jaw-dropping twists for three seasons now. The latest installment set in Thailand is no exception. And if there’s one thing the show does well, it’s exposing the messy lives of the rich and privileged. But it turns out the drama isn’t just on-screen! Behind the scenes, the show has a surprising rule: Every actor, from Hollywood icons to fresh-faced newcomers, gets the exact same paycheck. Yep, no VIP treatment here.

Producer David Bernad revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that “everyone is treated the same on The White Lotus,” including their paychecks. And just in case you thought it was a small budget thing, the show’s star-studded cast still gets paid the same, no matter their fame. It’s all about keeping things fair and simple. That means no big paydays for A-listers, and no sneaky salary negotiations. “They get paid the same, and we do alphabetical billing,” he added.

So, how much does The White Lotus cast get paid?

The White Lotus cast gets paid $40,000 per episode, and there’s no room for negotiation. As Bernad put it, “It’s not negotiable. And that’s just how it is.” This equal-pay system started back in Season one when the show was made on a tiny budget of less than $4 million per episode. Now, with Season three costing around $6-7 million per episode, the rule still stands. Even The White Lotus’ biggest names—including Parker Posey, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell, and K-pop superstar LISA—signed on knowing they’d be making the same as their co-stars.

Most Read

Dave dated another MAFS Australia 2025 bride before the show and you’ll never guess who

UCL and King’s College to merge and become ‘super university’ due to increasing costs

Lily Phillips shares full rundown of how her grim ‘backdoor’ challenge actually went down

It’s a system that’s clearly working. But apparently, it wasn’t enough for Woody Harrelson, who was originally in talks to play Rick Hatchett (now played by Walton Goggins). He bowed out after learning that his paycheck wouldn’t budge.

So, as casting director Meredith Tucker points out, “We tell people this is what it is. If they don’t want to do it, that’s fine.” It’s all about actors signing on for the right reasons, not just the paycheck.

For more like this, and the latest pop culture updates, like The Tab on Facebook.

Featured image via HBO