Yahoo News Patrick Schwarzenegger Says It's 'Surreal' to Be Acting Like Dad Arnold: He's 'So Supportive'
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Patrick Schwarzenegger
Acting runs in Patrick Schwarzenegger's blood.
On Monday, the emerging actor stopped by Today with Hoda and Jenna to chat with hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager about his latest film Echo Boomers and his supportive (and very famous!) parents. Patrick is the eldest son of acting legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, 73, and celebrated journalist Maria Shriver, 65, also a frequent Today contributor.
When asked how his dad felt about him following in the family business, Patrick, 27, said the Terminator star is "so proud of me."
"Both my parents are proud of me," Patrick added. "It’s pretty surreal ‘cause I remember growing up and going to set with him and it was like my favorite activity. I was so sad when he became governor and to go from Universal Studio’s lot to the Capitol. But it was really surreal to have him come to set have kind of the pages turned. He’s really proud of me and they’re so supportive. I couldn’t ask for a better parent duo."
Arnold took a brief break from acting to serve as governor of California from 2003 to 2011. He's since gone back to the industry that made him a household name.
Patrick Schwarzenegger/Instagram
Patrick is Arnold and Shriver's third child of four, born after sisters Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, 30 and Christina, 29. He also has younger brother Christopher, 23, while Arnold had son Joseph, 23, with the family's former housekeeper Mildred Baena. Arnold and Shriver split in 2017.
While Patrick has fond memories of visiting Arnold on set as a child, he admitted in an interview last year that one of his dad's characters really scared him. In an interview with Variety, Patrick admitted to being terrified when he saw Arnold as the villain Mr. Freeze on the 1997 Batman & Robin set.
“I was super young,” he recalled to the outlet. “But I have these brief memories of my dad going in and becoming Mr. Freeze. And him going in as dad and coming out as this big, blue, bald guy. I have photos of me with him and my mom, and I’m, like, creepily staring at him, like I’m scared and I don’t know who he is. I think I was scared of him.”
