Before being wrapped up in one of the most outrageous storylines that The White Lotus has ever attempted, Sam Nivola’s character Lochlan Ratliff’s biggest woe was deciding which uni he’d be attending in the autumn.
Viewers quickly learned that the rest of the Ratliff men had attended Duke University in Durham, North Carolina (where the family hail from), while Lochlan’s sister Piper had been studying at another local college, UNC Chapel Hill.
Since then, there’ve been a smattering of references to Duke University throughout the show, with Jason Isaacs’ character sporting one of the institution’s t-shirts in dramatic scenes that saw him contemplating taking both his own life and that of his wife.
And if you’re wondering how the team over at Duke feel about being name-checked on the show – it turns out, not great.
In a statement to The News & Observer, a spokesperson claimed: “Duke University did not approve the use of its marks in The White Lotus.
“Duke appreciates artistic expression and creative storytelling, but characters prominently wearing apparel bearing Duke’s federally registered trademarks creates confusion and mistakenly suggests an endorsement or affiliation where none exists.
“The White Lotus not only uses our brand without permission, but in our view uses it on imagery that is troubling, does not reflect our values or who we are, and simply goes too far.”
On a more serious note, the statement concluded: “Suicide is the second-leading cause of death on college campuses.
“As imagery from the show is being shared widely across social media, we are using our brand to promote mental health awareness and remind people that help is available.”
While things for every member of the Ratliff family have taken a dramatic turn since they checked into The White Lotus, cast member Patrick Schwarzenegger has teased that things are about to go even further heading into the final two episodes.
The White Lotus continues on Monday in the UK on Sky and Now.
Help and support:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
- CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.