"The White Lotus" star Jason Isaacs "I had a chest infection for months"

The rich satire "The White Lotus" is something of the series of the moment. Jason Isaacs has many great memories of filming in Thailand. However, we shouldn't be "too envious", says the 61-year-old in an interview.

Jason Isaacs, you spent seven months in Thailand filming "The White Lotus". Were you able to bring any of your family with you so that you could experience the culture and travel together?

My wife and children were there. I really enjoyed most of it. My children were there for a while, my niece also came to visit and friends came over too. It was great.

We have not only explored Thailand, but also the neighboring countries. As it's a large ensemble series and we only appear in our own storylines, there was a lot of free time - an incredible opportunity to explore this region of the world.

There's an interesting concept at the hotel in the series: no cell phone, no laptop - a whole week of digital detox. Would that be something for you?

It would be hell for me. I'm often up late at night, and they actually say you shouldn't take your cell phone into the bedroom. Well, I have my iPhone right in front of my face half the night.

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So yes, I would really suffer. I don't know if I could keep it up. I'd probably have a complete breakdown, like the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.

Let's talk about the fun moments behind the scenes - for example, karaoke nights on set. Did you take part?

I'm a terrible singer, but what I did find out: Sarah Catherine Hook is an incredible singer. She sang to me on the boat, on the way to the caves - like a little aria. I felt really blessed.

Visiting the caves in Thailand was certainly even more spectacular.

By the way, I had a chest infection for months and they suspected it might have been from the spores in the bat droppings. So, honestly, don't be too envious.

As an Englishman, do you think that "The White Lotus" series is perceived differently in Europe than in the USA?

No, I don't think so. I think a central theme of the show is what's called "Eat the Rich" - stories about the super-rich, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. I think all over the world there's a huge awareness of the growing gap between rich and poor.

We all know who the richest people in the world are - and they are richer than anyone in history. At the same time, the gap between them and the working population is greater than ever before. That's one of the reasons why people are drawn to the show to begin with.

And the other reasons?

Mike White's brilliant writing comes into play, which works in any culture. I was also in the Harry Potter films - at the end of the day, they're stories about English boarding schools.

But people all over the world relate to it because they find elements of their own culture in it. Great writing is universal.

Thailand is a country full of spirituality and cultural contrasts.

Well, these cultural contrasts were especially noticeable when you left the luxury hotels we stayed in. And that's exactly what I often did with my wife - we traveled around a lot. Others didn't do that so often. But these contrasts are already anchored in the script.

Mike White has built them into various characters - the hotel employees, the world behind the scenes and then the rich, pampered guests who don't notice any of this. Whether that influenced my scenes, I don't know, but it certainly shaped our experience there and what we took away.

The series "The White Lotus" is a satire on the ultra-rich, but it feels like the world is spinning faster and more chaotically than ever before. Do you think the satire seems almost too tame now?

Too tame? Great writing is never tied to a specific time - it's timeless. I think the series could just as easily have come out ten years ago or ten years from now. It's not directly tied to current headlines, it's human.

In the end, it's more than just a satire. Maybe it started out that way in season one, but in season three it asks profound questions: What is the self? How much do our possessions and the image others have of us define us? And that's something that always remains relevant.

Was there a particular experience while filming in Thailand that has stayed with you?

Actually, the daily breakfast together - just seeing my colleagues again every morning. But if I had to think of one image, it would be the boats. We were often on the water, out by the islands.

My physical memory, my sensory memory, is this: sitting in the front of a boat, the water splashing in our faces, and we are in the middle of this incredible paradise. Out on the ocean with Patrick Schwarzenegger, the other kids and some castmates. It was just magical.

Was there anything you learned in Thailand that you didn't know before and that you have now integrated into your life thanks to "The White Lotus"?

I learned how to say "hello" and "thank you" in Thai. But to be honest, I don't know if I've learned anything that I've actually adopted. Sure, I learned a lot about the country. But what I noticed above all:

I can work even under extremely difficult physical conditions and still do my job. And I was reminded again of how incredibly privileged we are in the West, that we all have enough to eat, running water, a healthcare system and a functioning education.

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This is not a given in many parts of Thailand. At the same time, there is also enormous wealth there. And then there is this gentleness, this non-confrontational nature that is deeply rooted in Thai culture. That was incredibly moving for me and it reminded me of how aggressive our own culture can sometimes be.

Can you share a few anecdotes from the set with us?

Oh, you know, we were in a hotel with a dozen rooms, and there was an actor in each one. Everyone gets asked for a funny set story - and apparently in every other room someone is telling the story of the time I walked into a door and hit my head.

I'm still wondering why everyone thinks it's so funny. So no, I don't think I have an anecdote - at least not one that I want to or can tell (laughs).

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