Patrick Schwarzenegger’s White Lotus Nudity Gave Dad Arnold A “Shock”

There were moments in The White Lotus Season 3 that were shocking — particularly for the actors’ family members. In the very first episode, Patrick Schwarzenegger gave his loved ones an early surprise when his character, Saxon, stripped down to nothing. His father, Arnold Schwarzenegger, admitted in their Variety Actors on Actors interview that he thought the nude scene was “crazy” — until he reflected on his own career.

The Big Unveiling

Patrick’s onscreen nudity came as Saxon got ready to go to sleep alongside his younger brother, Lochlan (Sam Nivola), and undressed in the bathroom. When the premiere aired, the Schwarzeneggers were not prepared for what they saw.

“I couldn’t believe [it],” Arnold told Patrick in their Actors on Actors conversation. “I said to myself, ‘I’m watching your show, and I’m watching your butt sticking out there.’”

But that wasn’t all. “And all of a sudden, I see the weenie,” Arnold added. “What is going on here? This is crazy.”

After the initial surprise, though, Arnold did some self-reflection. “I said to myself, ‘Well, Arnold, hello. You did the same thing in Conan and Terminator, so don’t complain about it,’” he recalled. “But it was a shock to me that you were following my footsteps so closely.”

The Family’s Reactions

Arnold wasn’t alone in his shock. Patrick recounted to Today in March what it was like to watch his nude scene with his family and said they “all had different reactions.” His dad found it “hilarious,” and his brother-in-law Chris Pratt joked he could look where he wanted because “he’s not blood related,” Patrick said. Meanwhile, mom Maria Shriver “didn’t even really understand what was happening,” and his fiancée, Abby Champion, was “kind of flustered.”

Following the experience, Patrick thought they could use a break from family White Lotus viewings. “I probably will take a hiatus from watching with them for the next couple episodes,” he said at the time.

His parents were largely unfazed, though. His mom later told People that she didn’t notice the full-frontal shot because she was focused on his face. “My kids were like, ‘Did you see that?’ And I was like, ‘No. What?’” she said. Shriver went on to share that she is “super happy” to see his hard work in acting pay off.

As for Arnold, once he got over the shock, he celebrated his son’s achievement on social media and encouraged his followers to watch him in action. “I was so pumped to take a break from filming to celebrate @patrickschwarzenegger at the White Lotus Season 3 premiere,” he wrote on Instagram on Feb. 11. “What a show! I could claim to be surprised to find out he has a nude scene, but what can I say - the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Don’t miss it this Sunday - trust me.”

In their Actors on Actors conversation, he was effusive with his pride, telling Patrick, “You have never asked me to call a studio or to call an agent. You never asked me for advice when it comes to acting itself. You’re a rare breed, and I’m very, very proud of you.”