Arnold Schwarzenegger Grills Son Patrick on Why He Thinks His Last Name Was an 'Obstacle' in Hollywood

In the past few years, the 'nepo baby' debate has been all the rage. And while some celebrity kids have been candid about the opportunities they've been given because of just who they are, others have insisted that being a 'nepo baby' isn't quite as luxurious as it seems.
For Patrick Schwarzenegger, who recently made a name for himself in the third season of The White Lotus, his journey has been a mixed bag – and dad Arnold Schwarzenegger is ready to grill him on it.
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In their new 'Actors on Actors' for Variety, Arnold asked his son about a quote of his from the past, claiming that having their famous last name was 'difficult.' 'Explain that to me, because to me, the name Schwarzenegger always meant a big plus,' Arnold said. 'And then all of a sudden you were talking about [how] it can be an obstacle.'
For his answer, Patrick, who's also starred in other known projects like The Staircase and Gen V, talked about his audition process with White Lotus creator Mike White.
'I feel it in multiple different ways,' he told his dad. 'Mike White said that it comes with baggage, the idea that when you have successful parents like I do with you and Mom [Maria Shriver], there's an added level of what other people think.'
As fans of the show know, Patrick was eventually cast as Saxson Ratliff, the older and most know-it-all son of Victoria (Parker Posey) and Timothy Ratliff (Jason Isaacs).
'Mike was worried about if he cast me, what other people would think,' Patrick continued. 'Which they did — they did care about that; people said I got the role because of you and Mom.'
Patrick then revealed that he once considered changing his last name.
'There were times earlier in my career where I was wondering, does it make sense to go under an alias?' he said. 'It took a while for me to get to a point where I was less worried about living in your shadow versus wanting to do it the way I thought I should do it.'
Luckily, it seems Patrick never addressed the thought to his dad, who might've been hurt by name change.
'I'm glad you kept the name, because now I can take credit,' Arnold joked. 'You joined a very short list of people: You know, Jamie Lee Curtis — I think she's one of the greatest actors in history. If you show you have the substance, you can get rid of the whole idea of nepotism.'
Patrick then finished the thought by expressing his gratitude for all the opportunities his parents have given him over the years. 'I understand how hard you and Mom have worked throughout your life to give me the opportunities that I've had,' he said. The biggest advice you gave us kids is to work hard. I've tried to honor that.'
Whether you're a fan of the generation of 'nepo babies' or not, honoring your parents is surely something most of us can relate to.
Before you go, click to see more celebrity kids following in their parents' acting footsteps.
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