Ahead of his return as Tim Tebow American Sports Story: Aaron HernandezPatrick Schwarzenegger spoke Hollywood Reporter On how his career goals differ from his famous father, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Patrick's role in Ryan Murphy's limited series is a fairly small one, mostly centered around his teammate's rise to infamy and subsequent downfall amid murder charges, but his minimal screen time didn't bother the younger Schwarzenegger, who approached roles differently than his father.
“It’s funny, because I have a different theory than someone like my dad,” Patrick said, without naming Arnold. “My dad would always say, ‘Go for the main title, go for the lead, go for all these different things, think big, big, big.’ I always try to think about ‘what are my goals’ as far as being an actor,” he explained. “For me, it’s constantly learning and growing as an actor. Surrounding myself with really great talent, great filmmakers, producers, crew. And then playing something completely different than what I’ve done before.”
Patrick bristled at the implication that the role was offered to him outright, saying he wasn't at that stage of his career yet. “I wish they would have come to me and said, 'Do you want to play Tim Tebow?' I'm not at that level yet,” he admitted. “It just came to me in my inbox as a good audition.”
Although Patrick knew from the start that “this show wasn’t about Tim and he was only a very small part of the story,” the actor knew the role would provide an opportunity to expand his professional skill set. “For me, it ticked all those different boxes. I got the opportunity to work with someone like Josh [Rivera, who plays Hernandez]He is a very big and rising actor and I think he has a beautiful face. [career] “The horizon is far ahead,” Patrick explained, adding, “I’m a huge Tim Tebow fan.”
Patrick concluded: “I am constantly progressing in my own career. I love being part of really great quality projects that are interesting to me and I get the chance to try something new. [that is] “It's a challenge for me on the acting side.”
American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez New episodes air every Tuesday at 10 p.m. on FX and Hulu.