Jason Isaacs has sought to clarify his stand after voicing his thoughts on the "double standard for men" regarding on-screen nudity. The full-frontal nudity of his character, Timothy Ratliff, in the third season of Mike White's acclaimed series, "The White Lotus," sparked widespread discussions about the portrayal of genitalia in cinematic and television narratives. It was earlier revealed that Isaacs had utilized a prosthetic for the scene; however, the actor has grown weary of the incessant chatter surrounding it.
During a recent appearance on "CBS Mornings," the "Harry Potter" alumnus was directly quizzed about the use of the prosthetic. Though he attempted to steer clear of the inquiry, the hosts didn't let him off the hook easily. In response, Isaacs said, "I'll tell you why—because the best actress this year at the Oscars is Mikey Madison, and I don't recall anyone discussing her vulva, which was prominently featured [on-screen]... So, it's intriguing to note the double standard for men. But when women, like Margaret Qualley in 'The Substance,' are naked, no one would dream of grilling her about her genitalia, nipples, or any such things. Hence, it's perplexing to witness this double standard." Ironically, his efforts to shift the focus away from his genitalia only served to intensify the online chatter.
Now, Isaacs is revising his comments from "CBS Mornings," stating, "The internet was amused by whether I donned a prosthetic for my nude scene, and so was I. However, I wanted to avoid this becoming the sole topic of inquiry in relation to Mike's brilliant series, as it has for other actors. Hence, I thought I'd deflect the question with a joke if it arose. If it arose?! When so many were relentless, it seemed strange and inappropriate that their insistence was centered around verifying whether they had witnessed my real penis. How bizarre.
"The point I intended to convey, albeit clumsily, is that women have long been exploited, exposed, and treated grossly inappropriately both on and off-screen. And even then, I've never witnessed a woman being interrogated so specifically about her genitalia," his statement continued. "I shouldn't have invoked any actresses or employed the phrase 'double standard,' which was poor phrasing—there has indeed been a double standard surrounding nudity in film for ages, and it's not men who have borne the brunt of it. In fact, 'The White Lotus' has been addressing this issue! Somehow, it was either misarticulated or misunderstood."
