Patrick Schwarzenegger is making it clear that his spot in the new season of The White Lotus wasn’t handed to him just because he’s a nepo baby. He finds it “frustrating” to be seen through a nepotism lens simply because Arnold Schwarzenegger is his dad—especially now with The White Lotus just launching.
“I know there are people who’ll say I only got this role because of who my dad is,” Schwarzenegger told The Sunday Times. “They’re not seeing that I’ve had 10 years of acting classes, put on school plays every week, worked on my characters for hours on end, or the hundreds of rejected auditions I’ve been on. Of course, it’s frustrating and you can get boxed in and you think at that moment, ‘I wish I didn’t have my last name.’ But that’s a small moment.”
“I would never trade my life with anyone,” he added. “I’m very fortunate to have the life and family that I have, the parents I have and the lessons and values they’ve instilled in me.”
In the newest season of The White Lotus, Schwarzenegger takes on the role of Saxton Riff, a charming, privileged son of a corporate criminal. Patrick hit the premiere with Arnold by his side, who later gushed about the show on Instagram.
“I was so pumped to take a break from filming to celebrate @patrickschwarzenegger at the White Lotus Season 3 premiere. What a show!” Arnold wrote beneath a photo of him and his son walking the red carpet. “I could claim to be surprised to find out he has a nude scene, but what can I say – the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Don’t miss it this Sunday – trust me.”
Patrick shared with People earlier this month that he’s still developing his skills by attending weekly acting classes to “learn and grow.” He also revealed how his dad played a major role in sparking his passion for acting.
“Going to set with my dad, that’s where my first love for acting came from,” Schwarzenegger explained. “He would always pull me out of school early. I would get to go to Universal Studios — I’d watch him go in as Dad, come out as Mr. Freeze. I would sit there all day and just be fascinated with everything about film.”
Catch new episodes of The White Lotus on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.
