Patrick Schwarzenegger is getting frank about the assumptions surrounding being a “nepo baby.”
The “White Lotus” Season 3 star, who is the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, told The Sunday Times that while at times he resents being so blatantly related to Hollywood (and American political) royalty, he would “never trade” his upbringing for anyone else’s. He’s also faced plenty of career setbacks, too.
“I know there are people who’ll say I only got this role because of who my dad is,” Patrick said of joining the hit HBO series. “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.”
He continued, “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. 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.”
Patrick previously told People that watching his father Arnold in films such as “Batman and Robin” inspired his own acting career.
“Going to set with my dad, that’s where my first love for acting came from,” Patrick said. “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.”
Patrick’s “White Lotus” co-star Walton Goggins apparently also eased any doubts about his ability to hold his own alongside the ensemble cast. Patrick told Interview that Goggins advised him to never question whether or not he was the “right actor” for the role.
“I got some cool advice from Walton Goggins on set. It was the first day of filming and I asked him if he still gets nervous. He was just like, ‘Yeah, I get nervous.’ And then, he kind of put his finger on my chest and said, ‘But, I never fucking question that I’m the right actor for this job, and I never fucking question my process and that I can go out there and crush it,’” Patrick said.
“The Staircase” and “Gen V” star Patrick’s brother-in-law Chris Pratt further said to E! News that the whole family is “so proud” of him.
“He’s a really solid actor, because the character he’s playing is completely different than who he is,” Pratt said. “He created a character, and it feels natural and good. I’ve been telling everybody for years, I’ve been telling him as well, I really think we’re entering a decade of Patrick…I’ve been watching him, he’s just been working hard. He’s actually a hustler across the board, not just with acting but with business, and everything. He’s super driven, and I know he gets that from both his mom and his dad.”
