Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Comment
Rebecca Shaw

Nepo babies should do what they want. Except complain to the rest of us

Patrick Schwarzenegger, star of the third season of The White Lotus and child of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, said in February: ‘I wish I didn’t have my last name.’
Patrick Schwarzenegger, star of the third season of The White Lotus and child of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, said in February: ‘I wish I didn’t have my last name.’ Photograph: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

A couple of years ago I wrote about the nepo baby discourse that had kicked off, arguing that focusing all of our energy on the very rich and famous was a distraction, when we should be talking about class and opportunities among the rest of us ugly losers. I still stand by this position. However, I am now being forced to expend a bit of the energy I have saved up. After years of discussion around this, my patience is wearing thin. No matter how measured and logical I attempt to be about the issue, it turns out I am still vulnerable to getting really pissed off by it.

Last week, Patrick Schwarzenegger turned out to be the straw (nepo baby) that broke the camel’s (my) back (made me so mad I’m writing this). Schwarzenegger is an actor who is currently starring in the new season of The White Lotus, one of the most coveted jobs in TV. He plays the arrogant and awful son of a very wealthy man, and he’s good! If you don’t know Patrick’s work, you might know his father, Arnold Schwarzenegger, or his mother, Maria Shriver, due to the fact they are extremely famous and powerful, both politically and in Hollywood.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.