Following a NSFW full-frontal nude scene in The White Lotus that left the internet breathless for days, British actor Jason Isaacs has made it clear—he’s had enough of the chatter about his genitalia. Speaking on CBS Mornings last Friday 14 March 2025, Isaacs argued that there’s an unfair double standard when it comes to male versus female nudity. The actor’s comments quickly sparked a larger debate online, with many netizens calling his take tone-deaf and out of touch, particularly considering the way female nudity is frequently exploited in Hollywood. So, here’s the lowdown.

During the CBS interview, presenter Gayle King brought up the online debate about Isaacs’ nude scene. For context, the English actor is most famous from his role as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film franchise, meaning that many Gen Zers grew up watching him as a fearsome and villainous father. So, needless to say, seeing his uncovered genitalia was a rather interesting change of pace for them…

White Lotus didn’t have to to remind us Jason Isaacs played Lucius Malfoy by showing us his wand

— Hoemer (@Aqueercat) March 10, 2025

This scene makes way more sense now #WhiteLotus #JasonIsaacs pic.twitter.com/oxLRK9DXPO

— Jordan Kalish (@JordanKalish) March 10, 2025

JASON ISAACS’ ROBE COMING OPEN AND SHOWING HIS BASILISK?! #WhiteLotus #TheWhiteLotus pic.twitter.com/3M8ApTuzng

— Shelby 🖤⚡️ (@winterssoldier) March 10, 2025

King was specifically interested in knowing whether Isaacs wore prosthetics.

Instead, Isaacs responded: “A lot of people are debating it, and it’s all over the internet. And it’s interesting, because…”

At that point, Gayle pointed out that the Harry Potter star hadn’t actually answered the question, to which he said: “I’ll tell you why. The Best Actress this year was Mikey Madison at the Oscars, and I don’t see anybody discussing her vulva, which was [on screen, in Anora] all the time—and I’m not talking about Swedish cars. You know?”

“I think it’s interesting that there’s a double standard for men, but when women are naked—Margaret Qualley, as well, in The Substance—nobody would dream of talking to them about their genitalia or nipples or any of those things,” Isaacs continued.

King’s co-anchor Tony Dokoupil then accused Jason of “dodging” the question, to which he replied: “It is a dodge because I don’t think people want to know how the sausage gets made.”

The moment ignited a heated online debate, in which many netizens either agreed or disagreed with Isaac’s stance about a double standard for male nudity.

Some noted that the way in which Isaacs was gleefully and cheerily objectified, would have been condemned, or at least critically dissected if he was a woman.

“He is feeling uncomfortable, he’s talking about it. What’s wrong?” one Reddit user asked.

However, the majority of netizens noted that Madison and Qualley were indeed incredibly open when it came to discussing the meaning and approach behind their nudity. Qualley, specifically, also confirmed the body parts that were wrapped in prosthetics throughout the shoot—spoiler alert, not her real breasts.

Fans felt like Isaacs was making an ignorant point about socially condoned misandry when it is largely female nudity that is exploited and commodified in Hollywood. It’s frequently little more than a tool to titillate audiences rather than drive the narrative forward.

Isaacs’ scene, which was widely viewed as comedic rather than sexualised, seemed quite meagre in comparison to many of the provocant and at times, degrading, content some female actors had to perform (I hope Sam Levinson is reading this so we never have to see a reboot of The Idol.)

“don’t think men have a leg to stand on in terms of complaining about it [objectification] women have been & continue to be objectified by men in a much more extreme way”
-theo james to the times ‘20

i.e. stfu, jason isaacs pic.twitter.com/lyucXBzfKY

— audrey 🙈 (@FicusAudrey2) March 15, 2025

he’s trying to say that the viewer’s reaction to male nudity is more extreme because it’s unusual to see the male body treated like the female on screen, but he’s blaming it on a mysterious misandrist force instead of making a substantial claim. the great paradox of misogyny https://t.co/98SeFCcVOE

— postmodern joan of arc (@postnuclearjoan) March 16, 2025

At the end of the day, Isaacs might be tired of the discourse, but when it comes to Hollywood’s long and extensive history of gratuitous female nudity, many women would argue—we’ve been exhausted.

“People have been objectifying women for centuries. Now that the tables are turning men are realizing how gross it is. Good,” one Reddit user argued.