Ever think about what it must be like to have a celebrity parent? And not just any celebrity — but a celebrity like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold managed to do the impossible — he went from entertainer to politician. And unlike most others who've made that jump, he was actually successful.
Born in 1947, Arnold started his career by being a professional bodybuilder. In 1968 he moved to America and managed to win five Mr. Universe titles. He was unstoppable. And soon he managed to turn his career toward movies. His first film ever was Hercules in New York. And while the production may have been a bit shaky, fans were still quite amazed seeing Arnold on the big screen.
At that point, his stage name was Arnold Strong. And it seemed obvious that he was hoping to get by based on his strength and physical appearance. But then something happened — producers cast him in other roles, including many that were family-friendly. That widened Arnold's appeal even more. Pretty soon, everyone knew who Arnold Schwarzenegger was.
But that wasn't the last stop for him. Back in 2003, he was elected as the 38th governor of the state of California. He also has five children, whom he seems to love and adore. And one — Patrick Schwarzenegger — is aiming to be an actor just like his dad.
Patrick is currently 27, meaning that he's got plenty of time to create a fantastic career. And he's already got experience. Patrick will be starring in Echo Boomers, which will be released on November 13. The movie is based on a true story about a group of college kids who decide to steal from the rich.
Patrick has admitted that both of his parents are overjoyed about his career plan. "He's so proud of me. Both my parents are proud of me," he told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on Today. Oddly enough, his mom, Maria, also contributes to Today, making it a great place for an interview. On occasion, she's filled in for Savannah Guthrie.
That said, even he can't believe that he's currently the only Schwarzenegger who's making movies. "It's pretty surreal 'cause I remember growing up and going to set with him and it was my favorite activity," Patrick said. He admitted that he was a little upset when his dad moved into government because those memorable on-set moments stopped happening.
"And I was so sad when he became governor, to go from Universal Studios' lots to the Capitol," he admits. "But it was really surreal to have him come to set and have kind of the pages turned and, yeah, he's really proud of me. You know, they're so supportive and I couldn't ask for a better parent duo."
It's good to know that Arnold and Maria are still both putting their kids first. Their marriage was once tabloid fodder, after it was revealed that Arnold had a love child with a woman he'd had an affair with back in the '90s. This was one of the reasons the two chose to separate.
"After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," he said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. "I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry."
While the incident was hard for his family, Arnold tried his hardest to take all of the criticism, fully aware that he was the one to blame. "I ask that the media respect my wife and children through this extremely difficult time," he said. "While I deserve your attention and criticism, my family does not."
Aside from Patrick, Arnold's daughter Katherine Schwarzenegger has also gotten a lot of media attention recently — and that could be due to her relationship with actor Chris Pratt. The two started dating in 2018, got married in 2019, and just recently had a baby girl.
Patrick isn't just using his last name to try to get ahead in the business. He also minored in cinematic arts in college, with a major in business. Throughout high school, he reportedly worked with acting coach Nancy Banks, who has helped other stars in Hollywood before, like Margot Robbie.
Arnold's once-secret son, Joseph Baena, is also trying to follow his dad's footsteps, but in another way. Instead of acting, Joseph is trying to become a bodybuilder. And even better, he has his dad to help coach him and further learn ways to improve. So really, it's sweet that they have something so big to bond over as well.
Patrick doesn't just like the feeling of being on set. He also seems to really dive into his roles, which have been quite diverse so far. One of his top titles has been a film called Daniel Isn't Real, which was a small independent film that ended up getting much more exposure than he figured it would. He played the main role, and he talked to Rain magazine about how he prepared. All of it made it pretty obvious that he's taking his career seriously.
"The week before we started filming, I was in New York and I dyed my hair. I completely dyed my eyebrows," he said. "I packed away all the clothes that I'd brought to New York and I got into the full wardrobe of this character. I played around with what it was like to be this character, walking around New York and just seeing what it was like being in his shoes."
He also admitted that the fun memories with his dad are what drove him to the career — yet admitted there's a lot to the acting profession that he's still learning day by day. "I would go to set and ride around Universal Studios. I would sleep in the trailer overnight. I stayed there for days sometimes and was obsessed with it, but I don't think I understood the complexity of acting then, and that's still something I'm learning each day and hope to continue to grow," he said.
It'll be interesting to see how Patrick fares in the career choice. Being an actor can be difficult, but he already has a leg up and hasn't been afraid to work on small projects before blockbusters start coming his way. Arnold and Maria have a lot to be proud of.
