While Duke University may not have appreciated the unintentional promo in the most recent season of “The White Lotus,” Jason Isaacs enjoyed having a little fun at the school’s expense. After Season 3 of “The White Lotus” featured Isaacs’ character wearing a Duke T-shirt during a murder-suicide dream sequence, the North Carolina University vocally protested against the use of their logo.
“[The White Lotus] not only uses our brand without permission, but in our view uses it on imagery that is troubling, does not reflect our values or who we are, and simply goes too far,” Duke VP of communications, marketing and public affairs Frank Tramble told The New York Times.
Isaacs, in pseudo-retaliation, appeared at “The White Lotus” Season 3 finale event sporting a Duke shirt. In an interview with the Prestige Junkie podcast, Isaacs admitted he was looking to “cause a little mischief” following Duke’s overblown reaction.
“I bought the t-shirt because the airline canceled my flight and took my bags away, and I had nothing to change into in the morning,” Isaacs said. “It was the only outlet there [at the Charlotte Airport]. And I also thought it might cause a little bit of mischief.”
“I mean, I found the whole thing faintly amusing,” he continued. “I don’t like anyone getting upset about anything, but clearly, it was just someone fancying seeing their name online and wanting to go viral. Their real-life alumni are such a rogue’s gallery, many of them, that the notion that one of the spiritually enlightened [characters] on television causes them any trouble is fanciful and ridiculous.”
