The Ukrainian foreign ministry has voiced its criticism against HBO’s decision to cast Serbian actor Miloš Biković, whom it alleges supports Russia’s invasion, in the upcoming season of The White Lotus. Biković, who received Russian citizenship in 2021 and was personally honored by Russian President Vladimir Putin for his contributions to Russian arts and culture, has previously claimed to be banned from entering Ukraine for national security reasons.
HBO’s announcement of Biković’s starring role in The White Lotus Season 3 sparked an immediate backlash on Ukrainian social media. The Ukrainian foreign ministry took to social media to express its concerns, stating, “Miloš Biković, a Serbian actor who has been supporting Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion, is now set to star in HBO’s The White Lotus Season 3. “@HBO, is it all right for you to work with a person who supports genocide & violates international law?”
As of now, HBO has not responded to the criticism.
Miloš Biković, aged 36, has been featured in several Russian productions and openly expresses his admiration for Russian culture. Ukraine contends that he filmed shows in Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, and has been supportive of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Controversy Unleashed: Ukraine’s Objection to HBO’s Casting Choice
In recognition of his contributions to Russian culture, Putin awarded Biković the Pushkin medal, a prestigious cultural honor, during a ceremony at the Kremlin in 2018. Additionally, he was granted Russian citizenship by presidential decree in 2021. At the time, Biković shared his gratitude on Instagram, stating, “It is a great honor to say today: Russia is my homeland,” and expressing his status as “an active member of Russian society.”
The filming of The White Lotus Season 3, an Emmy-winning series, is scheduled to commence in February in Thailand, with the anticipated release in 2025, according to Variety.
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