Actor Milos Bikovic criticizes HBO for firing him The white lotus Season 3 about his political beliefs.
In a statement shared on social mediaThe actor claimed he was the victim of a “selective campaign” after Ukraine pressured the network to remove him from the highly anticipated show.
“I grew up in a country devastated by war. At age 11 I endured days and nights in shelters while my homeland and hometown were bombed. I could never wish such devastation on anyone,” she wrote.
Bikovic’s statement continues: “Today a selective campaign has been unleashed against me, apparently as an external maneuver to influence decisions that may create a disturbing precedent that overshadows the essence of artistic freedom.”
He claimed his dismissal was a result of his political views, which he said “will remain unchanged.”
“However, my participation is not possible for reasons outside the field of art and I will not submit to any narrative that seeks to compromise my integrity,” he stated.
Bikovic further added that he initially felt “honoured” when he was chosen. The white lotus Season 3, saying it was a “television series I hold in high regard and with colleagues I deeply respect.”
By The Daily Mail, Bikovic was cast as a “charming” yogi and lifestyle mentor who works at the hotel. HBO has since confirmed that the role will be recast, according to Business Insider.
The network opted to fire Bikovic from the series after Ukraine publicly accused the actor of supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine and Crimea shortly after his casting was announced.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine criticized the actor in The white lotus Season 3”, they wrote in Xin January. “@HBO, is it okay for you to work with a person who supports genocide and violates international law?”
The tweet included a video showing Bikovic shaking Putin’s hand at an awards ceremony in 2018, where Putin awarded him the Pushkin Medal for his achievements as an actor.
Bikovic has not explicitly expressed support for Putin and the war in Ukraine, although he regretted the war when it broke out in 2022.
“War and bloodshed on either side remind us how far humanity is from global unity and love,” he wrote in a social media post. “God save the lives of all those who are now in danger!”
The white lotus Season 3 will begin filming in Thailand later this month, with Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey and more confirmed to star.
