Patrick Schwarzenegger is speaking out against critics who believe his famous last name secured his role in The White Lotus season 3.
The 31-year-old actor, son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, shared in an interview with The Sunday Times on 23 February that it’s “frustrating” when people overlook the years of hard work he has put into his acting career.
“I know there are people who’ll say I only got this role because of who my dad is,” he said. “They’re not seeing that I’ve had 10 years of acting classes, worked on my characters for hours on end or the hundreds of rejected auditions I’ve been on.”
Schwarzenegger, who has been acting since childhood, takes weekly classes to refine his craft. He admitted that while the criticism can be discouraging, he wouldn’t change anything about his life.
“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,” he explained. “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 Gen V actor revealed his family’s enthusiasm for The White Lotus helped push him to audition for season 3. “My mom was always like, ‘Why haven't you auditioned for this?’ And my sister’s like, ‘You need to call your agents right now,’” he recalled.
Earlier this month Schwarzenegger also shared a video of the emotional moment he told his family about landing the role in the show.
In season 3, which premiered on 16 February, Schwarzenegger plays Saxon Ratliff, a confident, flirtatious businessman vacationing in Thailand with his wealthy family. The series continues to air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.
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