Arnold Schwarzenegger says women no longer approach him with their phone numbers, because they are more interested in his actor son.
The 77-year-old Terminator star’s son Patrick, 31, shot to prominence this year after his role in the latest series of HBO’s biting wealth satire The White Lotus.
Patrick played Saxon Ratliff, the arrogant, protein-shake-chugging son of a North Carolina couple played by Jason Isaacs and Parker Posey.
Arnold said that, before The White Lotus season three, his son – who has previously appeared in The Staircase and American Sports Story – would mostly just be asked about his famous father in interviews.
“He came many times to me and said, ‘I just did an interview with this magazine and two thirds of the questions were about you,’” Arnold told The Sunday Times. “But I was just in New York and a journalist comes up and says, ‘What’s it like being the father of Patrick Schwarzenegger?’”
Delighted, he added: “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.’
“So it’s wonderful. If I go to my grave and know that my son has outdone me, I’m in heaven.”
Patrick is one of four children Arnold shares with his ex-wife Maria Shriver, alongside Katherine, 35, Christina, 33 and Christopher, 27.
Arnold has another son, Joseph, 27, who he shares with longtime housekeeper Mildred Patricia Baena.
Patrick can next be seen in indie drama Billy Knight, alongside Al Pacino.
Arnold, meanwhile, is starring in season two of action series FUBAR on Netflix, out now.
Patrick recently admitted that he and his siblings “hated” when their father gave up his movie career to become the Governor of California, a position he held from 2003 to 2011.
During a conversation between father and son for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, Arnold recalled missing out on several film roles because of his decision to run for political office.
Arnold said he soon realised they preferred his time in Hollywood, adding: “It was the funniest thing. You coming to me and saying, ‘Dad, we had so much fun going to the set and watching you blow things up. And now …’”
