Arnold Schwarzenegger's son admits he's 'frustrated' by nepotism claims: 'You think, "I wish I didn't have my last name"'

In a world full of Hollywood 'nepotism babies', one rising star finds the label "frustrating."

Patrick Schwarzenegger has a clear message for those who feel he is undeserving of his breakout role in White Lotus season 3. 

The actor, 31, the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shiver, has opened up about his recent rise to fame in an interview with The Sunday Times.

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"I know there are people who'll say I only got this role because of who my dad is," he told the publication.

"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.

"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'."

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"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."

Patrick might not be a Hollywood heavyweight, but he has starred in various roles throughout his short career. 

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At 10, the youngster landed his first movie, appearing in The Benchwarmers before studying for a business degree. 

The actor was featured in the movies Stuck in Love in 2012 and 2013's Grown Ups 2 when he gave television a go, starring in Scream Queens and The Staircase. 

Patrick told People that he is focusing on finding ways to "learn and grow" while telling the publication that his family watched White Lotus before encouraging him to audition for the latest season.

"Every time we would watch the show … my mum was always like, 'Why haven't you auditioned for this? Why didn't you go out for this?'" he said.

"And my sister's like, 'You need to call your agents right now. This is ridiculous that you're not on the show, that you didn't even audition'."

Patrick's family was right and after he auditioned in 2023, he was cast and filmed the series last year alongside stars Aimee Lou Wood, Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Lek Patravadi and Walton Goggins. 

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