Hollywood is full of legacies, and it’s not uncommon for children of stars to go on and become actors themselves. Some famous examples are Bruce Dern and Laura Dern, Kirk Douglas and Michael Douglas, Don Johnson and Dakota Johnson, and the list goes on. When we see a recognizable last name in the credits, it's inevitable for audiences to be curious about someone's acting relatives, which is an experience Gen V star Patrick Schwarzenegger often has. He recently addressed a fan online who asked if he was related to his famous father, Arnold, and he had a hilarious and logical answer.
Patrick Schwarzenegger has slowly become a recognizable face, and gained quite a following after portraying Golden Boy in The Boys spinoff show, Gen V. The role has made him famous in his own right, but it’s hard to look past his very notable last name that hints at the Hollywood dynasty he is attached to. The Schwarzenegger name is so iconic and specific that it’s surprising one would even have to ask if there is a relation between Patrick and his father. This is something that the actor pointed out when he was asked about it recently on X. He said:
It’s really funny to me when people ask if I have any relation to Arnold when they see my last name… it’s really not a common last name haha
He definitely has a point, and I personally can’t think of anyone other than the immediate famous Schwarzenegger family who also has that surname. The connection seems obvious, and I find it endearing that Patrick has kept Schwarzenegger even as he’s embarked on an acting career of his own. Many legacies opt to change their last name to distance themselves from association. For example Nicolas Cage’s last name is really Coppola, as he is related to The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola, and Angelina Jolie was originally Angelina Voight, as she is the daughter of actor Jon Voight.
Under the post, Patrick Schwarzenegger continued to make jokes on X about his incredibly recognizable and long last name, including one about how tedious it was to bubble in a Scantron when he was in school. He seems unbothered by fans bringing up the constant association, and has previously talked about Arnold’s influence on his acting path. He isn’t the only one of his siblings who has followed in his father’s acting footstops, as his half-brother Joseph Baena has dipped his toe in the film world as well. Also, his sister Katherine is married to Chris Pratt, so at this point movie stardom is practically the family business.
It won’t be long before Patrick is known for much more than being Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son. He has already had notable roles in Midnight Sun, Moxie, and HBO’s The Staircase. In addition, his Golden Boy character was a fan-favorite in The Boys spinoff, so fans can likely expect more of him in the upcoming second season of Gen V. He is also set to join the ensemble cast of The White Lotus in Season 3, which is a surefire way for his star to grow tremendously. If he keeps on this path, there may be a day when the 30-year-old’s acting roles are more recognizable than his surname.
You can see Patrick Schwarzenegger in Gen V, which is currently streaming its first season for Amazon Prime subscribers. The spinoff was a hit, and has been renewed for a second season so fans of The Boys can look forward to new episodes in the near future. For more information on other exciting titles coming to the small screen, make sure to consult our 2024 TV premiere schedule.
