‘The White Lotus’ fires Miloš Biković for allegedly supporting Russia
HBO have removed Serbian-Russian actor Miloš Biković from the upcoming third season of The White Lotus, after he was accused of expressing support to Russia.
The White Lotus is set to begin filming later this month in Thailand. However, dual national Biković, who was cast to play a wellness guru, will be replaced. The actor has not explicitly supported Russia on social media, but after the invasion of Ukraine took place in 2022, he wrote on Instagram: “The worst of all is that war and bloodshed on either side remind us how far humanity is from the ideals of unity and love. God, spare the lives of all those who are in danger right now…”
As Biković hasn’t condemned the illegal invasion of Ukraine, there was an outpouring of anger following his casting in The White Lotus.
On January 24th, the Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted on X: “Miloš Biković, Serbian actor who has been supporting Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion, is now set to star in HBO’s The White Lotus Season 3. HBO, is it all right for you to work with a person who supports genocide & violates international law?”
In response to the backlash to Biković’s casting, a spokesperson for HBO informed Business Insider: “We have decided to part ways with Miloš Biković and the role will be recast.”
Biković has since responded, telling the same publication: “Today, a targeted campaign has been unleashed against me, seemingly as an external manoeuver to influence decisions that can create a disturbing precedent shadowing the essence of artistic freedom.” As of yet, it’s unconfirmed who will replace Biković in The White Lotus.
The upcoming series is set to star Leslie Bibb, Jason Isaacs, Dom Hetrakul, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Tayme Thapthimthong, Christian Friedel, Morgana O’Reilly, Lek Patravadi, Walton Goggins, Sarah Catherine Hook, Sam Nivola, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Aimee Lou Wood and Shalini Peiris.
Last year, director Mike White said of the upcoming third season: “It’s going to be a supersized White Lotus. It’s going to be longer, bigger, crazier. I don’t know what people will think, but I am super excited, so at least for my own barometer, that’s a good thing … I’m super excited about the content of the season.”
