Patrick Schwarzenegger calls nepotism criticism “frustrating”: “I wish I didn’t have my last name”
Patrick Schwarzenegger has addressed accusations that his success with the show The White Lotus is because of nepotism.
The actor is the eldest son of action legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, famous for The Terminator films and his tenure as Governor of California from 2003 to 2011. His father appeared at the premiere of the latest season of The White Lotus to offer support.
“I know there are people who’ll say I only got this role because of who my dad is” he 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”.
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”.
Patrick Schwarzenegger has appeared in a variety of independent films and HBO drama The Staircase, but his role as the privileged Saxton Ratliff in The White Lotus is being considered his breakthrough.
His work on the show has made headlines due to nudity in certain scenes, something he confesses he wasn’t prepared for but feels is apt for the character. “You do the auditions but you don’t see the full script so you don’t have all the details, then they ask you, ‘Are you comfortable with nudity?’ when you sign on” he said.
“At the end of the day, this character, from start to finish, is ridiculous and the type of person who absolutely would walk around his room naked without a care in the world,” he explained. “He’s the guy who, whenever he sees a girl at the pool, he’s going to flirt with them whether it’s a mum or a 22-year-old”.
The latest season of The White Lotus has been a ratings hit, although fans have taken to social media to express their fury at the new theme song.
The post Patrick Schwarzenegger calls nepotism criticism “frustrating”: “I wish I didn’t have my last name” appeared first on NME.
Victoria Luxford
NME
