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Arnold Schwarzenegger has no problem admitting that his son, Patrick Schwarzenegger, may be outshining him.
The 77-year-old action icon, known for his legendary run from bodybuilding to blockbuster films and politics, is now watching his 31-year-old son make waves in Hollywood. Patrick recently gained widespread recognition for his breakout role as Saxon Ratliff in the third season of The White Lotus.
Speaking with The Sunday Times, Arnold shared that the dynamic between him and his son has shifted in a way he never expected.
“I was just in New York and a journalist comes up and says, ‘What’s it like being the father of Patrick Schwarzenegger?’” he said. “All of a sudden, everything has changed around, I walk into the gym now and it used to be the girls would come up and give me their contact — and then after White Lotus comes out, the girl comes up and says, ‘Here’s my contact, give it to Patrick.’”
For Arnold, watching his son’s rise is more than just a proud dad moment — it’s something he says would fulfill him completely. “If I go to my grave and know that my son has outdone me, I’m in heaven,” he said.
Arnold also recently made headlines for his sense of humor and a rare reference to his ex-wife Maria Shriver during Amazon’s Upfront event in New York last month. The actor, who typically portrays tough-guy roles, is taking a softer turn in the upcoming holiday film The Man With The Bag, which he filmed in New York this past winter.
In the movie, Schwarzenegger plays Santa Claus, teaming up with co-stars Awkwafina and Alan Ritchson. The plot follows Kris Kringle as he loses his magical bag and enlists help from Vance (Ritchson), a man on the Naughty List, to retrieve it. While discussing the project, Arnold jokingly nodded to one of his earlier holiday classics — and gave Maria a playful shoutout.
“Jingle All The Way was the greatest Christmas movie of all time,” he said. “They play it the whole month of December,” adding, “I know because my ex-wife calls me about the residual.”
It marked the first public mention Arnold has made of Shriver, 69, in nearly two years.
The former couple, once seen as a Hollywood dream team, were married for 25 years before separating in 2011 after it was revealed that Arnold had fathered a child, Joseph Baena, now 27, with their longtime housekeeper. Their divorce was finalized in 2021.
Together, Arnold and Maria share four children: Katherine, 35; Christina, 33; Patrick, 31; and Christopher, 27.