Arnold Surprised by Son Patrick's Role in 'The White Lotus'

In a moment that perfectly blended humor and generational reflection, Hollywood icon Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted he was genuinely surprised to see his son, Patrick Schwarzenegger, baring it all on screen in Season 3 of *The White Lotus*. Known for his legendary action roles and larger-than-life persona, the 77-year-old actor couldn’t help but react with classic dad energy when watching his son’s performance.

“I’m watching your show, and I’m watching you with your butt sticking out there,” Schwarzenegger recalled during a recent *Actors on Actors* session featured by Variety. “And I see the weenie, and I said, ‘What is going on here?’ This is crazy! And then I said to myself, ‘Well, Arnold, hello, you did the same thing in Conan and in Terminator and all those films. You were naked, so don’t complain about it.’ But it was kind of like a shock to me, that you would follow in my footsteps that closely.”

Patrick Schwarzenegger has been steadily building his acting career over the years, with standout performances in projects such as the 2022 miniseries *The Staircase*, the 2024 series *American Sports Story*, and notably, his breakout role in *The White Lotus*. Prior to that, he made a strong impression in the 2019 psychological horror film *Daniel Isn’t Real*, where he played the chillingly charismatic imaginary friend to Miles Robbins’ troubled protagonist—a role that showcased his dramatic range and cemented him as a serious actor in his own right.

While Patrick continues to carve his own path in the entertainment industry, his father remains a towering figure in film history. Arnie first gained attention with his role in the 1970 film *Hercules in New York*, but it was his portrayal of the relentless cyborg in the *Terminator* franchise that solidified his global fame. Although he hasn’t appeared in a major motion picture since 2019, Schwarzenegger returned to television with the Netflix spy comedy *FUBAR* in 2023 and is set to star in two upcoming films—*Kung Fury 2* and *The Man With the Bag*—proving that even in his late seventies, he’s still got plenty of action left in him.