Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most famous and influential people in the world, known for his achievements as a bodybuilder, actor, politician, and businessman. He was born on July 30, 1947, in Thal, a small village near Graz, Austria. His father was a police officer and his mother was a housewife. He had a difficult childhood, marked by poverty and a strict Catholic upbringing.

Schwarzenegger found his passion and escape in bodybuilding, which he started at the age of 15. He was inspired by the legendary Greek hero Hercules, who he saw in a movie when he was young. He admired Hercules’ strength, courage, and charisma, and wanted to emulate him. Schwarzenegger also idolized bodybuilding champions like Reg Park and Steve Reeves, who played Hercules in films. He began to train at a local gym, where he met his mentor and friend Kurt Marnul, a former Mr. Austria. Marnul taught him the basics of weightlifting and nutrition, and encouraged him to pursue his dreams.

Bodybuilding

Arnold Schwarzenegger soon became obsessed with bodybuilding, and dedicated himself to improving his physique and winning competitions. He won his first title, Mr. Junior Europe, in 1965, when he was 18. He then moved to Munich, Germany, where he trained at a more advanced gym, and started to compete internationally, winning the Mr. Universe title, the highest honor in amateur bodybuilding, in 1967 (when he was 20). Arnold Schwarzenegger became the youngest ever Mr. Universe, and repeated the feat in 1968 and 1969. He also won the Mr. Europe and Mr. International titles in the same years.

Schwarzenegger’s success in bodybuilding attracted the attention of Joe Weider, the founder of the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) and the publisher of several fitness magazines. Weider invited Schwarzenegger to move to the United States, where he could train at his gym in California and compete in the professional circuit. Schwarzenegger accepted the offer, and arrived in Los Angeles in 1968. He was amazed by the American lifestyle and culture, and quickly adapted to his new environment. He learned English, made friends, and became a star in the bodybuilding community.

Schwarzenegger dominated the professional bodybuilding scene, and won the Mr. Olympia title, the highest honor in professional bodybuilding, seven times, in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1980. He became the most famous and successful bodybuilder of all time, and revolutionized the sport with his unprecedented size, symmetry, and charisma. Through his appearances in magazines, documentaries, and commercials, he popularized bodybuilding to the mainstream audience. He was featured in the acclaimed documentary Pumping Iron (1977), which showcased his preparation for the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest and his rivalry with other competitors. The film was a hit, and introduced Schwarzenegger to a wider public.

Movie Star

Arnold Schwarzenegger had always dreamed of becoming a movie star, and saw bodybuilding as a stepping stone to his acting career. He had made his film debut in Hercules in New York (1970), a low-budget fantasy comedy, where he played the title role. However, his performance was poorly received, and his voice was dubbed by another actor, due to his thick accent. He continued to pursue acting, and took acting lessons, speech classes, and accent reduction courses. He also changed his last name from Schwarzenegger to Strong, to make it more appealing to the American audience.

Schwarzenegger’s breakthrough role came in Conan the Barbarian (1982), a sword and sorcery epic, where he played the title role. The film was a success, and established Schwarzenegger as a leading action hero. He reprised his role in the sequel, Conan the Destroyer (1984), and also starred in other action films, such as The Terminator (1984), Commando (1985), Predator (1987), The Running Man (1987), and Total Recall (1990). He became one of the most popular and highest-paid actors in Hollywood, and earned a reputation for his muscular physique, his catchphrases, and his sense of humor.

Schwarzenegger also ventured into other genres, such as comedy, drama, and science fiction. He showed his versatility and range as an actor, and worked with acclaimed directors, such as James Cameron, Ivan Reitman, and Paul Verhoeven, starring in films, such as Twins (1988), Kindergarten Cop (1990), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994), Junior (1994), and Eraser (1996). He also produced several of his films, and became a successful businessman, investing in real estate, restaurants, and sports franchises.

Governor of California

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s political career started in 2003, when he ran for the governor of California, in a recall election against the incumbent Democrat Gray Davis. He announced his candidacy on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and ran as a moderate Republican, promising to reform the state’s economy, energy, and education. He faced a crowded field of candidates, including other celebrities, such as Gary Coleman and Larry Flynt, and won the election with 48.6% of the vote, becoming the 38th governor of California, and the first foreign-born governor since 1862.

Schwarzenegger returned to acting after his political career, and starred in films, such as The Expendables 2 (2012), The Last Stand (2013), Escape Plan (2013), Sabotage (2014), Terminator Genisys (2015), and The Expendables 3 (2014). He also reprised his role as the Terminator in Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) and became a host and producer of The Celebrity Apprentice, replacing Donald Trump, in 2017. He also wrote his autobiography, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story, in 2012.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Legacy

Schwarzenegger remains an active and influential figure in the world, and is involved in various projects and causes, which you can learn more about on Arnold’s official website. Schwarzenegger is a living legend, who has achieved extraordinary success in multiple fields, overcoming many obstacles and challenges following his dreams. He is a role model, who inspires millions of people with his story, his vision, and his values. He embodies the spirit of Hercules, and the American dream.

Not too long ago, a new documentary about Arnold came out on Netflix. It breaks down Arnold’s life in 3 episodes, 1 for his time as a bodybuilder, 1 for his time as an actor, and the last one for his time as governor of California.

In the first episode, when talking about his inspiration for becoming a bodybuilder, Arnold reveals he wanted to become a bodybuilder after watching Hercules and the Captive Women starring Reg Park (Mr. Universe at the time). Reg Park became Arnold’s idol and inspiration in his journey to become a bodybuilder. Our old blog post about Hercules has some nice documentaries to learn more about the myth of Hercules.

Hercules played such a big part in Arnold’s life that when Arnold became an actor, his first ever movie was Hercules in New York. To learn more here are some videos for you to watch. First you can watch the full movie of Hercules and the Captive Women, the movie that inspired Arnold to become a bodybuilder. Last is the trailer of Hercules in New York, Arnold’s first ever movie. Enjoy!