Summary
Patrick Schwarzenegger is making waves as one of the standout stars ofThe White LotusSeason 3, but he wants to make one thing clear. His famous last name isn’t why he landed the role. Schwarzenegger, who portrays the entitled and privileged Saxton Ratliff in the HBO hit series The White Lotus, is the son of Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger and journalist Maria Shriver. While his family name inevitably carries weight in the industry, the actor insists his success is a result of years of dedication and hard work.
Schwarzenegger’s acting career began in 2006 with a minor role inThe Benchwarmersas “Jock Kid Game #3.” Over the years, he built his résumé with appearances inStuck in Love(2012),Grown Ups 2(2013), andScouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse(2015). His television credits include guest roles inScream Queens(2015),The Long Road Home(2017),The Staircase(2022),The Terminal List(2022), andAmazon Prime’s Gen V(2023). He also teamed up with Ryan Murphy again inAmerican Sports Story(2024), where he took on the role of NFL quarterback Tim Tebow. His latest role is Saxton Ratliff inthe third season ofThe White Lotus.
“I know there are people who’ll say I only got this role because of who my dad is,” Schwarzenegger toldThe 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.” Despite acknowledging the frustrations of nepotism claims, Schwarzenegger maintains perspective. “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.”
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Now, withThe White Lotusonly two episodes into its third season, Schwarzenegger is already gaining attention, particularly on social media, for his nude scenes in the series. “I didn’t know to what extent [there would be nakedness]. 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,” Schwarzenegger explained.
The actor ultimately embracedthe bold nature of his character, adding, “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’s the guy who, whenever he sees a girl at the pool, he’s going to flirt with them whether it’s a mom or a 22-year-old.”
With his latest role inThe White Lotus, Schwarzenegger is proving he’s more than just a well-known last name. Perhaps as more episodes are released and the more fans get to knowthe characters in the third season, the perspective could change.
