Patrick Schwarzenegger sometimes wishes he had a different last name as people assume he only got into acting because of his successful parents.
Patrick Schwarzenegger sometimes wishes he had a different last name.
The 31-year-old actor is the son of Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger and his ex-wife Maria Shriver, and after landing a major role in hit HBO series ‘The White Lotus’, he has insisted that he has been training for years despite what others might assume.
He told The Sunday Times: “I know there are people who’ll say I only got this role because of who my dad is.
“They’re not seeing that I’ve had ten years of acting classes, put on [high] 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.”
However, Patrick would ultimately not wish to change places with anyone and feels “very fortunate” to have the life he does.
He said: “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.”
The ‘Stowaway’ star is still close with his family and noted that his father – who was born in Austria before making the move to the United States as his career took off – “worked so hard” to get into the country that neither of them would ever think about leaving.
He said: “I hang with my family all the time. I live within a few minutes of my dad.
“My dad worked so hard to get to this country and would never leave and neither would I. I love this country more than anything and have friends here who are immigrants from all over the world. I will always remain optimistic about our country.”
Patrick Schwarzenegger admits he sometimes wishes he had a different last name
