Woody Harrelson shuts down The White Lotus salary dispute rumours
Woody Harrelson has set the record straight on why he stepped away from a role on The White Lotus
Hollywood veteran Woody Harrelson has clarified why he passed on joining the cast of The White Lotus for its third series.
Despite Walton Goggins' standout role as Rick Hatchett, which has been touted as deserving of an Emmy, Harrelson was actually writer Mike White's initial pick for the part.
The A-list actor, renowned for his performances in blockbusters like The Hunger Games and critically acclaimed series True Detective, was first considered for the character of Rick but declined to join the show after much deliberation.
The 63-year-old star has dispelled rumours that he turned down the part due to pay disputes, providing clarity on the situation.
In a statement shared with The Daily Beast, Harrelson's team refuted previous claims suggesting he rejected the part over financial terms.
The Hollywood Reporter recently disclosed that Harrelson was allegedly dissatisfied with the salary offered, supposedly having sat down with Warner Bros head honcho David Zaslav, without any fruitful outcome.
In truth, the actor best has now revealed he withdrew from the prestigious project because it clashed with family commitments, reports the Mirror.
"I was set to do White Lotus and very excited," he proclaimed. "Unfortunately, their production schedule shifted, and conflicted with a pre-planned family vacation, forcing me to make an extremely hard decision."
Goggins naturally took centre stage after Harrelson's departure. However, White admitted that Goggins was initially considered for a different role - "one of these bald guys we pepper the thing with."
"Walton's not exactly that," he disclosed. "He's a bit more handsome, he has hair."
But could there be an opportunity for Harrelson to portray a new character in The White Lotus' fourth season?
The Triangle of Sadness actor might be too busy with other projects to fly off to another exotic location for another round on the HBO series.
He's just wrapped up filming Now You See Me: Now You Don't, and is expected to return for the fourth chapter of the popular magician franchise.