Jason Isaacs’ Tribute to Duke at ‘White Lotus’ Finale Celebration
Jason Isaacs added some extra sting to an already tough weekend for Duke University.
At the finale party for the third season of The White Lotus, held at the Four Seasons in Westlake Village, California, on Sunday, April 6, Isaacs, 61, portrayed the disgraced financier Timothy Ratliff.
In honor of his character’s unwavering allegiance to his alma mater, Duke University, Isaacs arrived at the gala sporting a T-shirt featuring the school’s Blue Devil mascot beneath his suit jacket.
Throughout the series, Isaacs sported a Duke T-shirt, which turned into a meme sensation when he dramatically pointed a gun to his head in a scene donned in the shirt.
Photos went viral on social media on Saturday, April 5, following Duke’s heartbreaking 70-67 loss to Houston in the Final Four, where they squandered a six-point lead in the last 35 seconds. Duke once held a 14-point advantage over Houston, marking the fifth-largest collapse in Final Four history.
Before the team’s unfortunate defeat, Duke University released a statement denouncing the appropriation of its name in The White Lotus.
“Duke appreciates artistic expression and creative storytelling,” stated Frank Tramble, Duke’s vice president for communications, marketing, and public affairs, to The New York Times on March 26. “However, characters prominently displaying items with Duke’s federally registered trademarks can cause confusion and erroneously imply endorsement or affiliation where none exists.”
Tramble elaborated that The White Lotus “not only uses our brand without authorization but also does so in contexts that we find concerning, do not reflect our values, and go too far.”
Duke has refrained from commenting on any potential legal actions.
In light of Isaacs’ character brandishing a gun while wearing Duke apparel, the university aimed to highlight mental health resources.
“As visuals from the show circulate widely on social media,” Tramble remarked, “we are leveraging our brand to advocate for mental health awareness and remind everyone that help is accessible.”
In the series, Isaacs’ character learns that his dubious business dealings from North Carolina have surfaced while he’s on a family vacation.
The ongoing rivalry between Duke and the University of North Carolina — located approximately 9 miles apart — is also depicted in The White Lotus.
Ratliff’s wife, Victoria (Parker Posey), and their daughter, Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), are both UNC alumni, while their son, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), attends Duke. In a memorable scene, Victoria is seen trying to persuade the couple’s youngest son, Lochlan (Sam Nivola), to follow in her footsteps and attend the University in Chapel Hill.
