“Survivor 50” star Ozzy Lusth is opening up about whether fans could ever see him make the jump from Fiji to “The White Lotus.”
In an interview with Page Six published May 7, the longtime “Survivor” fan favorite admitted he’s not feeling overly optimistic about appearing in Season 4 of HBO’s Emmy-winning drama after ignoring advice from “Survivor” creator Mike White during the milestone season.
Lusth, who was eliminated during this week’s episodes of “Survivor 50,” said one major game decision may have changed everything.
Ozzy Lusth Says Ignoring Mike White’s Advice Was a Huge Mistake
Speaking to Page Six, Lusth reflected on his decision to vote out Emily Flippen instead of following White’s recommendation.
“He does blame me a little bit for not listening to him and voting Emily [Flippen] out,” Lusth told the outlet. “One of my worst and biggest regrets in this entire game was not going with him and voting Emily out. It would have changed the course of the game and maybe would have secured my spot.”
The five-time “Survivor” player joked that the decision may have hurt his chances of landing a cameo in “The White Lotus,” which White created and writes for HBO.
“I think the chances of me getting on White Lotus are pretty small, and honestly, it was not even that big of a deal,” Lusth added.
Still, the reality TV veteran made it clear he’d absolutely say yes if the opportunity ever came his way.
“I would love to be on it because I think it would be fun,” he said. “And Mike White is a [expletive] genius and I just love his work.”
Mike White and Ozzy Lusth’s Friendship Goes Back Years
Although Lusth teased that he may have damaged his odds of appearing on the hit HBO series, he emphasized that his friendship with White matters far more than any potential acting cameo.
The two have known each other for years through the “Survivor” world, where White previously competed on “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” before going on to massive success with “The White Lotus.”
White has quietly included several “Survivor” alumni in the HBO series already. Alec Merlino appeared in Season 1, Angelina Keeley and Kara Kay made appearances in Season 2, and Christian Hubicki, Carl Boudreaux, and Natalie Cole all appeared in Season 3.
During another recent interview with People, White pushed back on the idea that Lusth intentionally ignored his gameplay advice.
“I definitely don’t think Ozzy was doing that,” White said. “Ozzy and I have been friends for over a decade, even longer than that.”
White also confirmed that additional “Survivor” players could appear in future seasons of “The White Lotus.”
“Maybe at some point I’ll announce the ‘Survivor’ people, but I have to tell them first before I tell the world,” he said.
Season 4 of “The White Lotus” has already been confirmed by HBO, with reports pointing to France as the next filming location. Meanwhile, “Survivor 50” continues airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
