Patrick Schwarzenegger, currently starring in The White Lotus, is the latest second-generation star to push back against the “nepo baby” label.
Hollywood nepo babies have been a hot topic recently. People think it’s unfair that the sons and daughters of wealthy established actors have a head start on the working-class performers who are struggling to make it in the industry. Because when casting a major role, who are producers going to go for? Someone who’s a wonderful actor but has only been in a handful of movies, or a weaker actor who nonetheless comes with connections and a name that looks good on posters? It’s a big problem.
No one is saying Patrick Schwarzenegger isn’t a good actor, but his reaction to being called a nepo baby is tone-deaf at best. He says the conversation is “frustrating,” to which a struggling no-name actor might be tempted to respond, “You’re frustrated?”
In a new interview with The Sunday Times, the up-and-coming star revealed his thoughts on the “blessings and curses” of being Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son. “I know there are people who’ll say I only got this [White Lotus] role because of who my dad is,” he said. “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.”
Schwarzenegger very well might have put time and effort in – but lots of actors do the same thing every day without the benefit of a famous name (and a very, very rich family) to fall back on. He did seem to release how lucky he’s been, at least, saying he “would never trade my life with anyone.” But then he went 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. But that’s a small moment.” Time to raise eyebrows. Really?
Schwarzenegger isn’t the only nepo baby who’s insisted they don’t have more privilege than the average actor. Emma Roberts, for example, swears that she’s “lost more jobs than I’ve gained” by being the niece of Julia Roberts. And Dakota Johnson won’t even talk about the issue, saying that it’s “lame.”
So Patrick Schwarzenegger is at least not at that level yet. He did also say, to his credit, “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.” But no one will appreciate the fact that he once wished he didn’t have his family name when that family name is a huge part of what got him on The White Lotus, to begin with.