According to an HBO spokesperson, the company has broken up with Serbian actor Milos Bikovic, whose casting in the third season of “The White Lotus” drew criticism for his ties to Russia from Ukraine’s foreign ministry.
The spokeswoman announced that Bikovic’s part in the dark comedy will be recast. Bikovic announced his departure on Friday via a spokesperson, citing outside pressure as the reason.
“A deliberate campaign has been launched against me today, apparently as an outside attempt to sway judgments that could set a troubling precedent undermining the fundamental principles of artistic freedom,” Bikovic stated in the statement. “A story like this leads to the triumph of absurdity and the downfall of art.”
Bikovic’s Joining of White Lotus
HBO revealed on January 12 that 36-year-old Bikovic will be joining the cast of “White Lotus.” A few weeks later, the foreign ministry of Ukraine questioned the choice on social media, posting on X, “HBO, is it all right for you to work with a person who supports genocide & violates international law?”
Related: Rocky’s Fame Star Carl Weathers Dies at 76, A Series of Condolences Poured on Internet!
Opinion of Bikovic on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
In 2022, Bikovic expressed his wish for the war to have ended in an Instagram post published the day following the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He wrote in Serbian and Russian, “War and bloodshed on any side reminds us of how far humanity is from global unity and love.” “May God preserve the lives of everyone who is currently in danger!”
The Russian government is praising Bikovic. In 2018, President Vladimir V. Putin gave him the Pushkin Medal, which recognizes achievements to Russian arts and culture. The next year, Bikovic was denied entry into Ukraine for what it said were national security grounds. This incensed him enough to inform a Serbian publication that “the situation is absurd.” By presidential proclamation, he was granted Russian citizenship in 2021.
Related: Sam Waterston Leaves Law & Order After 400 Episodes, Being Replaced by Tony Goldwyn!
Bikovic acted in several films prior to being cast in “The White Lotus,” including “South Wind,” which follows a gang member in Belgrade; “Sunstroke,” which depicts military officers reminiscing about the disintegration of the Russian Empire; “Ice,” in which he figures skates; and “The Balkan Line,” which focuses on a military operation during the Kosovo war.
View this post on Instagram
He referenced his upbringing in a war-torn nation and declared his aversion to all armed conflict in his declaration.
“Active conflicts are increasing throughout the entire world,” he stated. “Each one is unique.” Each is a tragic tragedy. “I desire that they all cease their actions and that the principles of love reign supreme.”