Jason Isaacs unsure if ‘clear dislike’ for Donald Trump could affect his future
The actor said he was advised by a ‘bunch of tech supremos’ to ‘completely wipe my social media history’.
The White Lotus star Jason Isaacs has reflected on his future and whether his “clear dislike” for US President Donald Trump could affect his ability to work in the country.
The British actor, known for playing Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series, said that “you have to declare your social media accounts” when you apply for an American work visa.
The 61-year-old is outspoken about his views on Mr Trump and told The News Agents podcast that he was advised by a “bunch of tech supremos” to “completely wipe my social media history”.
Asked by Emily Maitlis if he believes an actor’s politics are now on the line when being cast in TV shows and films, Isaacs said: “I have a visa to work in America and I work in America all the time.
“You have to declare your social media accounts and so I don’t know who’s poring over what.
“I don’t know whether my clear dislike for the current president of America will affect me in future, whether I’m allowed to work there at all.
“And then when you’re putting together films, maybe not so much with television, I think people’s social media profile is often, for younger people, incredibly relevant when it comes to financing things.
“If you’ve got millions of followers, you’re far more likely to be cast in something, hopefully, as long as you’re appropriate for the part as well.
“If you’ve stuck your flag somewhere on a hill, I’m not in those rooms where they decide who to choose to be in things, and where the finances decide who to back.”
He added: “I do know the people who are making those decisions, and it’s unquestionably true that if you have strong views, and it’s thought that you will alienate part of the audience, that that might well strike you off a list somewhere.”
He continued: “I was with a bunch of tech supremos, people high up in the tech industry the other day, who advised me to completely wipe my social media history, and that people are doing that all over the world for fear that it will somehow pigeonhole them and that will be held against them.
“I haven’t done it yet, but life is a tightrope walking between what I think is right in principle and pragmatically what I think will allow me to continue to do my job and support my children”, he said.
“So, there are many things I’d like to speak out about. People get very annoyed when actors speak out. I don’t quite know why, particularly.
“If you speak about politics, they go, ‘You’re an actor, you should know your place.’
“And my retort, that I don’t bother wasting online all the time, is that there’s a reality star in the White House, so that seems a little bit hypocritical.
“But I’m aware of the current climate, and so are many of my friends. And there are certain causes that I believe strongly in, and I’m aware that all I would do is invite a tsunami of either bots or a campaign that would affect my career badly.”
Also on the podcast, Isaacs reflected on his time filming for the third series of The White Lotus and said the cast “all went slightly nuts” as it was a bit like “groundhog day” and “very hot” as they filmed in Thailand.
Earlier in the month the actor, who plays Timothy Ratliff on the show, clarified comments he made about a “double standard”, after being asked questions about whether he was wearing a prosthetic penis on the show.
The TV star, who told reporters they would “would never dream” of asking similar questions of Mikey Madison or Margaret Qualley, told Variety: “I said the wrong words in the wrong way. I used the phrase ‘double standard’, which I didn’t mean at all.”
