The emergence of one standout performer from this season’s shows presents an intriguing dilemma – to what extent does the fruit fall far from the tree? Unlike his father, Patrick Schwarzenegger, seen in “The Staircase” and “Scream Queens,” adopts a unique method in his work. While Arnold Schwarzenegger, the ex-Governor of California, appears on screens this year for “FUBAR” and “Secret Level”, he is most recognized for action films such as “True Lies”, “Twins”, and “Terminator”.
In this rephrased version, I’ve aimed to maintain the original meaning while making the text more approachable and natural to read.
Instead of playing typical action heroes like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Patrick has shown a knack for delving into character roles. This season, he took on the part of Saxon Ratliff in Mike White’s “The White Lotus,” portraying a charming yet heartbroken character. While the role may not have been as physically demanding, Patrick’s dedication and enthusiasm when discussing what drives him to succeed are very reminiscent of Arnold’s work ethic.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Just a year ago, it would have been unimaginable for EbMaster to invite us for this conversation. Yet here we are, and your recent work on “The White Lotus” has left me astounded! I must confess, I didn’t even recognize you in your role. Your performance took me by surprise and left me in awe. How does it feel to achieve such tremendous success?
Patrick Schwarzenegger: It’s truly an extraordinary experience for me, since we rarely engage in lengthy discussions about acting. One of the most rewarding aspects of being on this show is the number of individuals who get to acknowledge my work; I’ve been involved in so many productions that not everyone has had the chance to watch.
Arnold: More and more people at the gym are approaching me to comment on my son’s impressive skills. On the other hand, someone else has told me they didn’t care for my son’s portrayal in the show.
Patrick: That was the weird part.
Arnold: Isn’t “hating” him more like a criticism rather than a praise? They commented, “He was exceptional, yet his portrayal of the character felt incredibly authentic.
The main takeaway from my experience is that people often link you closely with your roles, such as “The Terminator.” Throughout your career, you might encounter this phenomenon, and it may have happened to you during ‘The Terminator.’ Initially, people approached me expressing their dislike for me. However, by the end of it all, they expressed sympathy towards me. The experience was like a roller coaster ride.
Arnold: I came across an Austrian magazine featuring you as their main story, highlighting your greatness. One point they made was the challenges you face due to your name being Schwarzenegger. This idea surprised me since I’ve always viewed the name Schwarzenegger as a significant advantage. Can you clarify why it could potentially be a hindrance instead?
Patrick: Yeah.
Arnold: Explain that.
Patrick: I experience it in various forms. Mike White expressed his concern that my success might carry certain expectations or judgments, given my accomplished parents like yours and mine. He was apprehensive that if he cast me, people would assume I got the role because of our family connections. And indeed, some people did express this sentiment; they commented on how I secured the role due to you and Mom.
At certain stages of my professional journey, I pondered over the possibility of using a pseudonym. It took some time before I felt more comfortable with the idea of carving out my own path rather than operating under your influence.
Arnold: I’m pleased that you retained the name, as it gives me an opportunity to claim some credit. By doing so, you’ve become part of a select group: For instance, Jamie Lee Curtis, who I believe is one of the greatest actors ever. If you can demonstrate your talent and worth, then the notion of nepotism will be dispelled.
Patrick: I recognize all the effort you and Mom put in over the years, providing us with the chances we’ve enjoyed. One key piece of guidance you shared with us was the importance of hard work. I’ve aimed to live up to that advice.
Let me pause for a moment and inquire, When was your last performance tryout or have you ever had one?
Arnold: Indeed, once – it was for Lucille Ball. She phoned me from Gold’s Gym. At the time, I had absolutely no clue about what acting in a film entailed.
Patrick: At what point was “Terminator”?
Arnold: “Terminator” was groundbreaking for me since I had been doing the “Conan” films, which perfectly aligned with what I dreamed about as a child. Similarly, you aspired to act; I was captivated by Hercules on the big screen. I began training, determined to become Mr. Universe and break into movies due to my newfound fame.
The movie ‘Terminator’ was my first project where there wasn’t a focus on physical strength. Instead, it featured me in leather jackets, portraying a machine. The only scene where I appeared without clothing was the opening scene, but I’m referring to being unclothed.
Patrick: I’ve done it.
Arnold: I couldn’t help but be taken aback when, amidst watching your program, I found myself focusing on your backside only to spot something unexpected – a glimpse of you. I was dumbfounded. This is bizarre, I thought to myself. Then it struck me that I had done the same thing in ‘Conan’ and ‘Terminator,’ so perhaps I shouldn’t be too critical. However, it still came as a surprise to me that you seemed to be mirroring my actions so closely.
Patrick: Indeed! The resemblance between “Terminator” and “White Lotus” lies in the fact that we both collaborated with James Cameron, a legendary filmmaker. It was an honor for me to team up with the writer, director, and mastermind behind “White Lotus”, as Mike seems to do it all. Similarly, James Cameron handles everything, doesn’t he?
Arnold: For years, I’ve been passionate about collaborating with exceptional filmmakers. Michael White is one of those, an outstanding director and screenwriter, much like James Cameron. Both possess a crystal-clear vision.
Patrick: Mike’s quite assertive about his views, given that he’s an actor as well as a writer in our dynamic. It creates a distinctive professional bond where he scripts everything, yet allows room for your input on the character. On the first day, you’d always be expected to learn the entire script by heart.
Arnold: For a month now, I’ve been studying the script, practicing lines with someone else, repeating them over and over again – just like in bodybuilding where repetition builds strength. The more you rehearse, the better you become. This approach harks back to old-school methods too; Billy Wilder, the renowned Austrian director, used to say that he didn’t hire actors as interpreters, but as performers. Old-timers were obsessed with memorizing lines and hitting their marks accurately.
Patrick: Wow.
Arnold: Jim Cameron is similar in that regard. To put it another way, I’m not fond of the phrase, “I’ll be back.” He asks, “What do you dislike about that line?” I respond, “It’s a bit peculiar for a German to say ‘I’ll be back.’ Why not simply say, ‘I will return’?
Patrick: Wow.
Arnold: He states, “You’re advising me on how to write better, not instructing me on acting. Simply say, ‘I’ll be back.’ If you desire multiple takes due to insecurity, we can accommodate that. However, refrain from altering my script.
Patrick: Mike writes in a unique style, yet sometimes during a scene, he’d shout instructions from behind the camera to modify things or create fresh lines. We’d perform the scene, and he’d ponder, then reshoot the entire scene from scratch.
Arnold: Your acting method differs notably from mine. It came as a shock to me that you delved into it, given that at the age of 12, I was predicting you’d be a business prodigy. However, instead of pursuing business, you attended business school and seemed to thrive in it.
Your acting style is quite distinct from mine, as I didn’t follow that path. When you were 12, I was convinced you’d excel in business, but instead, you took up acting and found success in it, contrary to my expectations, as you later pursued a career in business school.
Patrick: Still do.
I used to wish that he might share the same interest as me – wanting to balance being a businessperson with acting. In other words, I hoped he’d excel in two fields: business and acting.
Patrick: For quite some time now, you’ve mentioned that your earnings from business have significantly outweighed those from acting. Over the past decade, my career has been gradually evolving, starting with smaller roles. Despite your encouragement to aim for the top, I’ve chosen a different path. You often say, “Shoot for number one,” and indeed, I’ve taken the road less traveled instead.
Film Fanatic Here: Honestly, there’s a secret dream stirring within me – to become an iconic figure in the world of cinema. I can’t help but nurture this aspiration and let it fuel my passion for filmmaking.
Patrick: No, I know.
Arnold: Here you are. Regardless of how many steps it takes, I’ve found that taking things one at a time has been valuable. My experience with bodybuilding taught me that if I aim for Mr. Austria, I won’t accidentally become Mr. Olympia instead.
Patrick: You’ve got to shoot for the top.
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I vividly remember my arrival in the United States, where Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson were ruling the box office with their astronomical salaries of a million dollars per film. Inspired by their success, I set a personal goal to join their exclusive club. Fast forward, through sheer determination and hard work, I managed to earn an impressive $30 million per movie, finally matching the legends in their league.
Despite others claiming, “Arnold, it’s not going to happen. Your name — Schnitzel or whatever it is — nobody will remember, and you’re too large now,” during the ’70s, Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino, Woody Allen — these were the prominent figures in Hollywood. “They weighed 140 pounds, and look at you, 250, like a giant.” I was disheartened; everything seemed unattainable. Yet, I had a vivid image of myself standing tall. That was all that mattered to me. And so, step by step, I ascended the ladder.
Patrick: One of the movies you were paid the least for was “Twins.”
Arnold: I got paid nothing.
Patrick: Carrie Coon recently approached me a few weeks back and said something along the lines of, “Darling, it’s time for you to take on a new role because you’ve been doing an excellent job at portraying a jerk, and people truly believe it.” It seems like you’ve been typecast in movies like “Terminator,” which made it difficult for directors to cast you in comedic roles, correct?
Arnold: What’s the point of altering things? They argued, “Aren’t you insane? The more violent scenes this character has in movies, the higher our profits. Why would we switch that?” That was the conversation until Ivan Reitman and Danny DeVito entered the picture.
Patrick: But nobody would make it.
Arnold: Here’s what I proposed: “Let’s not get paid and instead, spend only $16.5 million on the film.” We managed to secure a 40% share of the movie’s profits afterwards, which turned out to be the most advantageous agreement we’ve ever struck.
Patrick: Then you went on and did multiple other comedies.
Arnold: At that point, I was able to do just about anything — except Shakespeare.
Patrick: Shakespeare would be great.
Arnold: A number of roles were assigned to me that ultimately didn’t materialize due to reasons such as: (a) My schedule only allowed me to work on a maximum of two films per year; and (b) In 2003, as you may recall, I ran for governor and was elected, which kept me quite occupied.
Patrick: … hated.
That moment was hilarious! When you approached me and exclaimed, “Dad, it was such a blast visiting the set and seeing you destroy things. Now…
Patrick: … we go to the Capitol.
Arnold: All of you were rebelling.
Patrick: Aimee Lou Wood asked me, “What sparked your interest in acting?” To which I replied, “Going to a film set as a child with my father was like paradise.” You’d often come pick me up early from school in your Hummer.
Arnold: I said, “Don’t tell your mother.” Your mother was in charge of education.
Patrick: You’d arrive early to pick me up, then step inside as if you were my father, only to transform into either Mr. Freeze or the Terminator later on. Inside the trailer, during your free time, we could venture over to craft services, grab some Red Vines, and hop aboard a golf cart for a ride to the E.T. attraction.
Discussing the concept of nepotism, it’s not uncommon for someone to follow in their parents’ footsteps if they have a particular profession, as it seems logical to enter that field given their background.
Arnold: You’ve never requested me to contact a studio or an agent, nor have I ever been consulted about the art of acting itself. You’re quite unique in this regard, and I am incredibly, extraordinarily proud of you.
Production: BAUIE+RAD; Production Design: Francisco Vargas
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