“The White Lotus”
Julian Kostov steps in for Putin’s friend
Unexpectedly in the next season of “The White Lotus”: actor Julian Kostov.
© imago/Future Image
After actor and Russia friend Miloš Biković was kicked out of “The White Lotus,” his role now goes to Julian Kostov.
At the end of January 2024, US broadcaster HBO’s preparations for the third season of Mike White’s (53) successful drama “The White Lotus” resulted in a scandal. After it became known that the Serbian actor Miloš Biković (36) was to take on a significant role in the series, there were massive protests in Ukraine.
Scandal surrounding Russia friend Miloš Bikovic
In one public statement on X ((formerly Twitter), the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry criticized the choice of actor, accusing him of supporting Putin’s war of aggression. Addressing HBO, the government agency asked: “Is it OK for you to work with a person who supports genocide and violates international law?”
“Shadow and Bone” star Julian Kostov fills the gap
In response to the harsh criticism, HBO announced on February 2nd that it had removed Milos Biković from the series cast and was looking for a replacement. As the industry magazine “Deadline” now reports, an adequate replacement for the sacked Biković was found in a very short time. The choice fell on the Bulgarian actor and former professional swimmer Julian Kostov (34), who was last seen in the fantasy series “Shadow and Bone – Legends of Grisha” on Netflix.
Production on the third season of “The White Lotus” is set to begin in Thailand this month. The new episodes are expected to air next year. In addition to Kostov, the cast includes Walton Goggins (52), Carrie Coon (43), Parker Posey (55) and Patrick Schwarzenegger (30).