You could say that Patrick Schwarzenegger has done more to promote the cause of brotherly love than just about any other actor on earth (with the possible exception of The White Lotus cast mate Sam Nivola). The Hollywood Reporter sat down with the 31-year-old breakout star to unpack the wild season three finale of the Emmy-winning HBO vacation saga from Mike White and discuss some of the downsides of fame (like fans wanting to know what sort of porn he watches), what hes up to next and what its like going through life with a vaguely familiar last name.

*** Working on this show has catapulted your career to a new level, but the finale seemed to be a genuinely moving and emotional experience for you. What made this so different than other projects youve done?

When I did The Staircase or American Sports, you go and you film and you get close to the cast, but at the end of the day, you return home to your own apartment or your hotel. This wasnt like that. It was just incredibly intense. For eight months, its just the cast and the crew all alone in one place for 24 hours a day. And then youre together for months of press, so you end up knowing these people and bonding with them in a very deep and intimate way. Then, the last episode airs and its over. Its kind of sad and unsettling.

You know, when I was watching the finale the other night and the shooting happened, I got really torn up. I didnt expect that. It felt like the death of that chapter for me in my life. I just got very emotional about it all. About Saxon and where he ended up. About Chelsea [Aimee Lou Wood]s death.I started crying. I literally cried!I looked over at Amiee Lou Wood, who was watching it with me, and I just put my head on her shoulders and she put hers on mine. It was this nice, sad moment for us.

Youve said you didnt read everyone elses scripts because you wanted to be surprised at the end. Was there a scene that particularly surprised you when the finale rolled around?

I was really moved by the final scene with the three ladies especially by Carrie [Coon]s monologue. I didnt know beforehand where their storyline was going. They mostly filmed their scenes before I got there. I had one scene with them in episode one of me hitting on them at the pool, but I knew nothing else about them.I was always surprised at where the show was going with them, all the different guys and the partying and all the fighting.But I loved the way they got through it all, and the way that beautiful monologue tied it all together.It was a perfect ending for them, I thought.

In the first few episodes, Saxon was, to put it indelicately, kind of a douche. Your mom [Maria Shriver] told an interviewer that she wanted to make very clear that Saxon is not Patrick, That character is not my son! Were you worried going in about playing such an unlikable character?

I wasnt really. Not at first. But after the first episodes aired I was blown away about the magnitude of how big the show is.Id be walking on the street or getting coffee and people would come up to me saying, Oh my god, I hate you. Youre so like hateable. Or I love to hate you and Youre such a douche and all of these awful things. I remember I was with my fianc and I was like, Oh my god! This is a lot! All these people yelling at me, coming up to me and being like, What kind of porn do you like? I honestly felt bad for my fianc at times. I knew that the show was just starting off Its eight weeks long and that the character develops and it was way too early for people to judge someone but you know, people like to judge.

Did they start to warm up to Saxon by the end?

Totally. Now theyre like, Oh, I felt so awful for Saxon when Amiee Lou [Wood] ran into Walton [Goggins]s arms. And look, how nice, hes reading a book. [Laughs.] Yesterday I had the most surreal experience. I walked into this restaurant and this table of six women in their 40s and 50s started yelling, Saxon, Saxon! I turned and this one lady made a sad face, and then started clapping, and all the women started clapping, and then every table there must have been 40 people in the restaurant started clapping. I got so emotional, I just had to leave. I dont do well with that kind of attention.

But youre the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who probably gets recognized all the time. You must have been used to people treating him like that, but maybe it feels weird that its now happening to you.

That part of his success always felt weird to me. Its probably weird for him now too. We went to the gym together yesterday and people went up to him and started talking about my show.

In the show you play a character who is living in the shadow of a successful father. Was that something that you could personally relate to?

Yeah, I guess thats one thing I could relate to about Saxon, I could relate to living under that shadow. Theres that scene with me and Jason [Isaacs] in episode seven and Im like, You know, dad, Im nothing without you and without work and I cant handle being nothing. Its only OK if everything is going good, so everything is going good right? I read that and I was like, yeah, theres something in me to pull on when its time for that scene. But my dad was a big fan of the show, and he was proud of me.

I read that you felt it was prudent to give your parents a heads-up about the incest scene, which I imagine got an interesting response. (Laughs) Obviously, that storyline loomed large over the show. Did you have trepidation about shooting it in the beginning?

No, I had zero trepidation. I mean, like, were there nerves? Yes. But you know, at the end of the day thats not me.Im playing someone else, and I have to stay true to the storyline and to that character. I just put my faith in trust into Mike [White] as the creator and writer and showrunner. He was really patient and got me through any awkwardness. It was fine.I knew it was going to be controversial, but Mike knows what hes doing. The whole thing stirred up a lot of conversations and interest in the show, for better or worse, but it ended up being great.

I think people expected some sort of big reveal about that, but the finale addressed the topic just sparingly. What point do you think that storyline ultimately served?

I think it was a real turning point for Saxon because like you said, in the first episodes, he was just this one note kind of guy. Then this experience with his brother quite literally killed him. It killed his ego and who he thought he was and thats obviously one of the big themes in this show dying and being born again. I mean, thats how I see it at least.One of the things about Mike is that he doesnt always have a clear ending. I remember asking him what happens to the family after they got their phones back and went home. He was just like, I dont need to explain everything. In the real world, not everybody knows. He likes to play with the audience and leave thing ambiguous. Even to us.

Well, what do you think happens to that family? Is Saxon going to adjust to being poor and unemployed? How would you end that script?

Well, Im not a writer for a reason, but maybe it could be a comedy spoof. It would be kind be hilarious if at the next hotel for season four, Saxon suddenly comes back as the spiritual advisor Hes talking to people about how they can change.

Or else he could come back as a janitor.

(Laughs). Exactly. He gets a new job as the hotel janitor. That would be funny too, and then I can come back for the next season.

What do you think you want to do next? Im sure your agent is fielding a lot of calls after this.

Its been busy, but Im going to be patient. I really want to find something thats right. You know, there is one thing that Im working on with this amazing director, a director that Ive looked up to for my whole career. Ive loved his projects, and were making something, and I hope it happens later this year that would be extremely difficult and would put me through the most challenging probably life experience and acting experience.

Could you see yourself doing an action movie down the line? Or is that something youd rather avoid?

Yeah, I definitely want to do that. I mean, thats the goal down the road is to do those types of things. Id love to do that, if it was the right thing. Ive talked to my dad about it, and Ive told him Id love to do that if it was the right thing. Ive never wanted to, but now I feel like I have some credits under my belt, and that Ive had some work, and I feel like Ive gotten to the point where I would feel comfortable working with him.

Which one of you gets top billing?

(Laughs) Ill let my agent handle that.

***

The White Lotusseason two is now streaming on Max. Head here for all ofTHRs season three interviews,including ouruncensored oral history with White and the cast andbreakdown of the finale.