Patrick Schwarzenegger’s portrayal of an entitled nepo finance bro in The White Lotus was so convincing that, during a recent appearance on Today, his mother, Maria Shriver, felt the need to clear the air. “Do you think I would’ve raised a Saxon?” she asked, half indignant, half amused. Born into Hollywood and political royalty, the 31-year-old isn’t exactly a deer in the spotlight. Over the past two decades, he’s racked up roles in films and TV shows, including American Sports Story, on FX, and The Staircase, on Max. He’s also spent a fair share of his off-duty life at tropical Four Seasons hotels, mostly in Maui with his family. The White Lotus took this—and everything else—to a whole new level. Keep an eye on him; he’s clearly going places.
MORNING ROUTINE: Yesterday was unusual because I got back from Coachella and clocked in almost 11 hours of sleep! Usually, I’m up at six-ish after getting eight hours. I wake up with my fiancée, Abby [Champion], and we walk to the coffee shop, go to the beach, say our gratitude list and prayers, walk back home, and work out.
BREAKFAST: Greek yogurt with a Mosh bar crumbled over it. Or eggs and avocado toast.
WHAT’S IN THE BLENDER? I take five grams of creatine after my workout, and at night, I take zinc and magnesium. I go outside to get my vitamin D, and try to get my other vitamins from actual food.
WORKOUT: I do strength training five days a week. I try to hit 10,000 steps every day and then hike, take a bike ride, or do Pilates with Abby.
TRACKER: I used a Whoop for a long time but now wear an Apple Watch. I tried the Oura Ring, but it kind of annoyed me when I did pull-ups.
FEELING ABOUT TRACKER: It’s addicting!
SNACK: Mosh bars. They’re high in protein and fiber but low in sugar. They have vitamins, nutrients, lion’s mane, and omegas, so it’s good for the brain and body.
COCKTAIL/MOCKTAIL: A lemon-twist martini.
ENERGY BOOST: I’m a coffee addict.
PRE–WHITE LOTUS TRAINING PLAN: I only had about three weeks from when I booked the role to our first day of filming, which was unfortunately the shirtless scene in Episode One. I had little time to do anything except clean up my diet.
WHITE LOTUS DIET: I started working out and eating a lot in Thailand. I didn’t have a grasp of how much I was actually consuming at the Four Seasons buffet! We had to re-shoot some pool scenes a few months in, and I was almost 20 pounds bigger and about five shades tanner. [Creator, writer, and director] Mike White said, “Yeah, the continuity of the scene is not going to work.” And I said, “Sorry, I just had so many off days, and all I did was work out and eat!”
THE BEST AND WORST PART OF SUDDEN FAME: The best part is people acknowledging and seeing your work. The worst part is people thinking they know you from your character.
WORKOUT TIPS FROM HIS FATHER, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER: He always pushed us to exercise, whether it was P.E. at school, sports teams, or karate. As I got older, I naturally got more interested in lifting and working out, but he never forced that on me. I love strength training but never aspired to be a bodybuilder.
HEALTHY HOME: We were the lame house for other kids because we didn’t have Froot Loops and sugary snacks. My dad kept the fridge and pantry to a bare minimum. We learned about working out, health, and wellness at a much younger age than other kids did.
WORKOUT RECOVERY: I’ve got a sauna and ice bath at the house, but I do a lot more of the sauna than the plunge. I can bring a book or script in the sauna, so it feels like a two-for-one. It’s grueling to get into the ice bath, so I don’t do it that often.
MOOD LIFTER: My friends, my family, my fiancée, and working out. I feel like a different person after I work out. Walking and being out in nature are also huge things for me. Looking at the beach and the mountains and being outdoors makes me feel inspired and revitalized.
GUILTY PLEASURE: I’m an ice-cream fanatic.
JET-LAG HACK: Man, I used to think I had a jet-lag hack by adapting to the new time zone the night before. But in the last eight weeks, I’ve been in 10 countries for two days each, and I’m so messed up!
DESERT-ISLAND PRODUCTS: Supergoop sunscreen and Osea face wash.
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Nothing.
STYLE REGRETS: Sometimes I look at the super-skinny jeans and wonder how I ever wore those things. I feel like they don’t even fit over my leg now.
PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’D GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF: Study more in school. I wish I remembered all those random history details.
WHEN ARE YOU HAPPIEST? When it’s football season!
Holly Parmelee, formerly an associate publisher at Little, Brown and Company, is an editor and writer at Serendipity magazine