SPOILER ALERT: This post contains details from the Season 3 finale ofHBOsThe White Lotus.
DEADLINE:How are you feeling after watching the finale?
JASON ISAACS:We watched it all together last night, Mike wouldnt show it to anybody beforehand.
Jason Isaacs in ‘The White Lotus’HBO
We were terribly emotional.
DEADLINE:Im sure that doesnt happen on all shows youve been part of.
ISAACS: Ive never been involved in anything like it.
(L-R) Sam Niovla and Jason Isaacs in ‘The White Lotus’HBO
Its given people something to talk about and think about.
ISAACS: I think thats a fabulous narrative sleight of hand, or red herring from Mike.
Am I my reputation, do my friendships count?
What is it that grounds me in the world and what matters?
I dont know if [Mike] has done that in previous seasons as much.
DEADLINE:How much of the rest of the plot were you aware of?
ISAACS: Well, wed all read it.
Were all given the scripts right at the beginning all of them.
There were no secrets for us.
I did know who died, but I didnt know all of who died and in what circumstances.
I just knew who wasnt going to be there, who ended up in the body bags.
But I forgot how it happened and why.
When it finished, I was as tense as anybody else.
I felt like Id done 1,000 sit-ups.
How was that for you?
ISAACS: Its funny you think thats the most emotional moment.
I knew that was something that was gonna be very difficult to do.
Theres a fear that the muse wont arrive.
I dont really know what happens.
I know that when I was younger, I used to plan things.
For decades now I dont plan anything, I try and be the thing as much as possible.
The combination of those two has been challenging all the way through.
It wasnt any more challenging holding my dead son.
When youre younger, you play lots of cops and soldiers.
Its not the first time that my children have died on screen.
Its a horrible thing to do it simply because, of course, I have children.
Im not thinking about my kids, Im thinking about Sam.
I mean, we became very, very close, all of us.
I did think of Patrick and Sam and Sarah Catherine, in some way as quasi children of mine.
DEADLINE:Thats very sweet, particularly given how long you were in Thailand.
ISAACS: That makes it sound schematic.
It was a natural bond.
Those are the things that actors either run from or run towards.
With Mike at the helm, I ran towards it.
I was trying to make it clear that the drugs werent working.
Theres something redemptive about that moment.
ISAACS: Yes, but theres something else, though.
Things like when Timothy gets there and he says I just want to work out.
DEADLINE:Talking of Mike, youve called him very collaborative.
Can you give me an example of what you mean?
Whilst his script is brilliant, it also changes all the time.
you might happily go off piste to wherever you like if he likes what youre doing.
Also hes texting you and chatting with you right from the first day he sends the script.
Hes happy to delegate ownership of the characters.
He said, If I didnt do this, Ill be a travel agent.
Did you all enjoy yourself?
Hes collaborative, like the very best and most secure people Ive ever worked with.
Also, he very smartly was sparring with himself.
He had a mammoth task.
There was a slight bubble around him.
DEADLINE:I heard you were wearing a Duke T-shirt last night.
Was that a wind-up?
ISAACS: Obviously, we cleared the T-shirt [in the show].
When youre shooting, you dont wear anything that wasnt cleared, anything with a symbol or sign.
That was a bit of a nonsense.
DEADLINE:I assumed you were just taking the piss.
ISAACS: Last night, I had all of my clothes but I thought it would be fun.
How did you feel about that?
ISAACS: Ive never experienced it before.
Then it becomes self-fulfilling, and then some people are up in arms.
Even in one of the interviews, someone asked Who should play you inHarry Potter?
I said Meryl Streep, and they took it as a genuine suggestion so its been odd.
Its quite a relief, as you know, being English, to know that Im tomorrows chip wrapper.
When we were in Thailand I was telling the younger cast to really enjoy the journey.
There is no destination.
Dont think about what this might do, or that were in a giant hit show.
It might not be a giant hit show.
Who knows if anyone will watch it.
Look at what were doing.
Look at this lovely day were having.
Try and be present all the time.
Weve been feted everywhere, the center of, at least the center of our worlds.
I have a bunch of indie films coming out.
People will not be throwing open their doors and giving me free clothes.
People wont stop me in the street talking about it, which is perfectly fine.
Im glad I dont live in Los Angeles anymore, because one could get used to that treatment.
Thats not why I do the job, and its not the real benefits of the job.
I feel a bit like Tim Ratliff, Im glad Ive got my head screwed on.
ISAACS: Thats very perceptive.
But my standards have gone up.
It happens to me periodically.
I look forward to things coming in that are pretty good.
