Arnold Schwarzenegger is the definition of a multi-hyphenate. From a former professional bodybuilder, he became an actor who not only worked with action movies but with comedies as well. Then, he became the 38th Governor of California. Now a businessman and philanthropist, he makes use of his fame and fortune for good.
Entering show business in Hollywood in the 70s was a difficult endeavor for someone who barely spoke English, but the Austrian star proved it was not a hindrance, but an asset that he could use to make him stand out from the rest.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Turned His Weakness Into Hollywood Trademark
During an interview via The Graham Norton Show, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted he had a difficult time learning and pronouncing English words. Even though he had that signature tone that viewers hear in movies, it took him years to get rid of his Austrian accent.
“I really did not have that talent. Even though I had an English coach and an acting coach, a speech coach, and an accent-removal coach, the bottom line is I worked on it. So he had me say ‘3,333 1/3’ with the ‘th’ and not with the ‘s’. But I mean, after 5,000 years, right? After doing 5,000 reps on it.”
With all those language practices, he still maintained the same thick stress in his speech. Many warned him that it might impede the advancement of his Hollywood career because he did not sound like a leading man, but it all changed when he found his niche in the industry.
“The funny thing is all of the stuff that they said — the Hollywood producers and the directors and all these geniuses, they were saying that this is an obstacle for me to become a leading man – became an asset.”
He narrated how his work on the 1982 film Conan the Barbarian catapulted him to stardom, mainly because of his physical attributes, but when he starred in James Cameron’s 1984 movie The Terminator, his cyborg-like speech became his hallmark.
“When I did Conan the Barbarian, John Milius, the director, said to the press, ‘If we wouldn’t have had Schwarzenegger, we would have had to build one,’ because I was the only one that had the muscles to play the character the way Frank Frazetta painted it, the way Robert E. Howard has written about it. When I did Terminator, Jim Cameron said, ‘What made Terminator work and why it became successful was because Schwarzenegger talks like a machine.’ ”
Schwarzenegger is living proof that no barrier can stop someone who works hard every day for their dreams, no matter how sky-high they seem.
Why Arnold Schwarzenegger Still Has His Austrian Accent
With all his years residing in the United States, fans have noticed that Arnold Schwarzenegger still carries the same thick cadence. During his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, he gave a humorous response:
“I think it has something to do that I’m hanging out with Sly every so often.”
Sylvester Stallone and Schwarzenegger used to be rivals in the industry, but now that they have become good friends, it’s possible that they talk often using their own signature accents.
