‘I felt so guilty’: Patrick Schwarzenegger on White Lotus and why he ‘wished’ for Saxon’s death

Patrick Schwarzenegger just dropped a confession that fans of The White Lotus probably weren’t expecting and it’s surprisingly emotional.

In a recent chat on Today with Jenna & Friends, the 31-year-old actor admitted he’s been feeling seriously guilty about how things ended in the season three finale. Specifically? He wishes his character, Saxon, had taken the bullet instead of Aimee Lou Wood’s character, Chelsea.

‘I was telling her that I felt so guilty,’ he said. ‘I wanted this arc for Saxon where I told her, “I wish I took the bullet for you. I wish I came at the end and saved you or something, this beautiful moment.”’

Patrick went on to call Aimee ‘such a great friend on set and so much fun to work with’, which made the fictional loss all the more personal for him.?

Patrick went on to call Aimee ‘such a great friend on set and so much fun to work with’, which made the fictional loss all the more personal for him. (Credit: Instagram)

Audience really hated Saxon

During the same interview, Patrick mentioned that viewers had a strong and possibly hostile response to Saxon in the beginning. Saxon was brought in as a privileged racist rich kid, but by the end of the season, he grew to be a more contemplative and spiritual character.

‘I was disliked. I was severely hated,’ Patrick admitted. ‘And I told people, you know, “Just wait. It’s only three episodes, the show’s eight episodes—let the character arc build.”’?

Street reactions were intense

Patrick recalled walking around New York in the early weeks of the series airing and getting very direct feedback from fans.

‘When I was walking the streets of New York in the first weeks, people were like, “Oh, I hate you. I love to hate your character”,’ he said.

But that changed as the season progressed. ‘Now it’s sweet to see people saying how much they love Saxon,’ he added.

What’s next for Patrick?

With The White Lotus behind him, Patrick is turning his attention to new projects. He’s currently in discussions for a psychological thriller and a limited series that would see him playing a darker, more morally ambiguous role.

He’s also taking early steps into producing, with a few smaller projects in development. While the future’s still unfolding, it’s clear Patrick is exploring new territory, both on and off screen.