Maria Shriver Defends Son Against ‘White Lotus’ Character Comparisons

New York, NY – Maria Shriver publicly defended her son, Patrick Schwarzenegger, during an appearance on the Today show, clarifying that he is not like his character Saxon in HBO’s hit series The White Lotus. Shriver’s comments come as the third season nears its finale.

During a discussion to promote her new book of poetry, I Am Maria, the former first lady of California addressed ongoing comparisons between Schwarzenegger and his character Saxon Ratliff, a wealthy and entitled finance worker vacationing in Thailand. “Patrick is not like Saxon,” she stated emphatically. “I just want to clear that up because people say, ‘Is Patrick like Saxon?’ I’m like, ‘Do you think I would have raised a Saxon?”

Despite Shriver’s assertions, some parallels can be drawn. Both Saxon and Patrick share similar backgrounds: they are white, male, and have connections within the finance industry. Saxon’s portrayal, characterized by toxic masculinity, raises questions that Shriver hesitated to confront directly.

In a recent interview, Schwarzenegger expressed his desire to dispel any conflation between his personal identity and Saxon’s disturbing traits. “I know there are people who’ll say I only got this role because of who my dad is… They’re not seeing that I’ve had ten years of acting classes,” he shared. “It’s important for me to show people my work ethic and dedication to my craft.”

Amidst the discussion, Shriver sidestepped inquiries about specific controversial scenes involving incest from the series but acknowledged they were unexpected. “He kind of warned me but not really,” she recalled, hinting at a candid family dynamic as they navigate the unconventional themes in the show.

Despite the controversies, Shriver remains a supporter of her son’s career. She mentioned she rearranged her book tour to celebrate the show’s finale with a viewing party. “I hope Saxon doesn’t die this week,” Shriver joked, adding, “He’s worked so hard, getting rejected a lot until this role came along, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Shriver has welcomed conversations about her son’s career, even at her book events. “Everybody wants to talk to me about it, I love it,” she quipped. “I’m gonna change the name of the book to I Am Patrick’s Mother, since all anybody wants to talk to me about is Saxon.”