Ukraine’s international ministry criticized HBO this week after Milos Bikovic was solid within the third season of “The White Lotus,” saying with out proof that the Serbian actor had supported Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
HBO introduced on Jan. 12 that Bikovic, 36, could be becoming a member of the darkish comedy about rich vacationers at island resorts. On Wednesday, the international ministry of Ukraine made the accusations in opposition to Bikovic on social media, writing, “HBO, is all of it best for you to work with an individual who helps genocide & violates worldwide legislation?”
Bikovic was awarded the Pushkin Medal, which honors contributions to Russian arts and tradition, by President Vladimir V. Putin in 2018 and acquired Russian citizenship by presidential decree in 2021.
In February 2022, the day after the invasion started, Bikovic stated on Instagram that he wished the battle had not occurred. “Conflict and bloodshed on any facet reminds us of how far humanity is from international unity and love,” he wrote in Russian and Serbian. “God save the lives of all those that are actually at risk!”
Ukraine’s international ministry and Bikovic didn’t reply to requests for remark. An HBO spokesman stated questions ought to be directed to Bikovic’s representatives.
President Biden has referred to as Russia’s invasion genocide, and The New York Occasions has collected proof of brutalities by Russia, together with the willful killing of noncombatants.
A 79-second video that Ukraine’s international ministry posted on social media interspersed scenes from “The White Lotus” with clips of Bikovic accepting the award from Putin and former feedback it stated the actor had made about Russia. In a voice-over, it claimed that Bikovic was “the Kremlin’s international mouthpiece.”
Throughout Bikovic’s acceptance speech for the Pushkin Medal, he emphasised unity between Russia and Serbia. “What a pleasure for Russians and Serbs in our homeland as a result of we’ve the identical worldview,” he stated in Russian.
Ukraine barred Bikovic from coming into the nation in 2019 for what it referred to as nationwide safety causes. On the time, he instructed a Serbian publication that “from the human and poetic perspective the scenario is absurd and fascinating.”
Earlier than he was solid in “The White Lotus,” Bikovic acted in motion pictures together with “South Wind,” which follows a gang member in Belgrade; “Sunstroke,” about army officers remembering the collapse of the Russian Empire; “Ice,” by which he performs a determine skater; and “The Balkan Line,” a couple of army operation throughout the Kosovo battle.
Season 3 of “The White Lotus” is ready to start manufacturing in Thailand subsequent month and is scheduled to air in 2025. It is going to function Walton Goggins, Carrie Coon, Parker Posey and the returning solid member Natasha Rothwell.
