Patrick Schwarzenegger has revealed in a recent interview that he tried to get the role of Superman in the new film directed by James Gunn, but unfortunately did not receive any response after sending his audition.
In the podcast Happy Sad Confused, the actor shared details about his audition and how this attempt did not succeed. Despite being known in the world of film and television, his dream of becoming a superhero was not fulfilled, but that does not stop him in his career.
In the conversation with the host Josh Horowitz, Schwarzenegger made it clear that he hasn’t frequently auditioned for comic book characters, and although his attempt for the role of Superman was unsuccessful, he mentioned other characters he has auditioned for. Among them, he highlighted Homelander from The Boys, Golden Boy from Gen V, which he ultimately portrayed, and Superman, which he did not manage to land.
The Rejection of Superman and the Complications of Zoom Auditions
During the interview, the actor revealed specific details about his audition for Superman, which consisted of sending in an acting audition tape. However, according to Schwarzenegger, he did not receive any feedback. “I don’t think I received any response. I think it was something like: ‘No, it’s not for you,’” he commented about his experience. The role of Superman was eventually assigned to David Corenswet, and the movie is expected to be released on July 11, 2025.
Schwarzenegger also took the opportunity to talk about how the pandemic has affected his auditions, revealing that since then he has only had two in-person auditions: one for La idea de ti, which he did not get, and another for American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez, in which he landed the role of Tim Tebow. The actor also mentioned the difficulties of auditioning via Zoom, a format that, according to him, can be confusing and distracting due to the constant change of image when speaking: “It’s just one person on the screen. When they speak, they are on screen, then you speak and it switches to you. It’s weird because sometimes someone keeps talking and if you say something, it switches images, which can be very confusing and distracting.”
Facing Criticism and Consolidating His Career
Despite being the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Patrick has had to deal with the perception that his success is solely due to his famous family. In an interview with The Times, the actor shared how these kinds of comments can be annoying, but also emphasized the hard work he has put in to achieve his professional goals.
“I know there are people who will say that I only got this role because of who my father is. But what they don’t see is that I have been taking acting classes for ten years, I did theater at school every week, I have worked hours on my characters and I have gone through hundreds of failed auditions,” she explained.
Patrick, who feels grateful for the values and support of his family, also expressed that, although it can sometimes be frustrating, he would never trade his life for someone else’s: “Sure it can be frustrating, but I would never trade my life for anyone else. I feel very lucky for the family and the values they have instilled in me”.
Beyond acting, Patrick has ventured into other sectors such as modeling and business. He studied at the University of Southern California, where he graduated in business and cinematic arts, and has invested in various companies. One of his most notable projects is a snack brand created in support of the fight against Alzheimer’s, an effort he developed alongside his mother.