Lisa was rumored to be the second-highest-paid performer at Coachella 2025, even surpassing Travis Scott. Surprisingly, the BLACKPINK member was paid peanuts for her appearance in The White Lotus Season 3. Not just her, but the entire The White Lotus 3 cast.
On June 16, 2025, cast member Jason Isaacs revealed the amount paid to the cast in an interview with Vulture. He portrayed the role of Timothy Ratliff, an affluent businessman.
Jason confirmed that every cast member on “The White Lotus” Season 3 earned $40,000 per episode, totaling about $320,000 for the series. He admitted, “That’s absolutely true,” but added that the pay was “a very low price” for a show with such a massive success.
Isaacs explained that actors usually don’t discuss their salaries publicly because “it’s ridiculously disproportionate to what we do” and can upset the public. However, he pointed out, “We would have paid to be in it. We probably would have given a body part.”
When asked about the show’s equal pay policy—where veterans like Jason Isaacs and Parker Posey earned the same as newer actors such as Lisa, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Sam Nivola—Isaacs responded with his signature dry humor.
“Do I mind that I was not paid more than other people? I never work for money. I have done all right. People will think I have huge stockpiles of money but sadly, what I have done rather immaturely is expand my outgoings to match my incomings and pretty much spent everything I have earned over the years.”
Jason Issacs
The show’s producers implemented a strict non-negotiable pay structure from its first season. As producer David Bernad explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter:
“Everyone is treated the same… They get paid the same, and we do alphabetical billing, so you’re getting people who want to do the project for the right reasons.”
David Bernad
$40K/episode seems modest compared to Lisa’s pop star status and staggering concert earnings. However, it was a strategic career move as she got to make her acting debut in the massively popular series, The White Lotus. Portraying the role of Mook, a sweet, innocent resort staff member, fans wanted to see more of Lisa in the show. Her screen time was limited to just 10 minutes throughout the entire season.
For Lisa, currently preparing BLACKPINK’s 2025 comeback, the role was never about the paycheck. As David Bernad noted, “It was for scale.” Although it was her debut, she garnered positive reviews for her acting, and many viewers wished she had more screen time.
Meanwhile, Lisa and the BLACKPINK girls are preparing for their comeback in Seoul, and the music video has already been filmed.
