Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career is a success story for many aspiring action stars. The Austrian celebrity who began by earning his fame as a bodybuilder, went on to light up Hollywood as one of the biggest action stars of his generation. His stepping stone to entering the industry commenced with him winning the coveted bodybuilding championship Mr. Olympia in 1970, a title he won a total of 7 times.
This was followed by titular roles in cult films like Conan the Barbarian before James Cameron made him a household name in the iconic Terminator series. The True Lies actor also successfully dabbled in politics during his stint as the Governor of California. Apart from these talents, Schwarzenegger is also known for his straightforward talk off-screen.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Once Conquered a Reporter with Words
A decade ago, the director of Conan The Barbarian John Milius and Arnold Schwarzenegger were interviewed by top television networks to talk about their cult film and take audiences down memory lane. While the topic was to be restricted to only trivia and information about the film which Schwarzenegger himself was in favor of, a persistent reporter moved the queries to bodybuilding. The journalist went a step too far in the process and took a personal dig at the star saying,
“So, Arnold, why have you pumped up your body? Do you feel inadequate in some way? Are you overcompensating for some deficiency?”
Schwarzenegger replied to this insensitive comment with hilarious honesty and said,
“When I was fifteen, I took off my clothes and looked in the mirror. When I stared at myself naked, I realized that to be perfectly proportioned I would need twenty-inch arms to match the…rest of me.”
Having given a witty and direct answer, the Total Recall star then proceeded to respectfully tell the squirming reporter to divert his attention to questions about Conan the Barbarian. John Milius later praised the actor saying that his funny and candid confidence in handling brutal queries from the press was one of his biggest fortes.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Discipline Impressed Fans and Colleagues
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s fitting reply to an insensitive question by a reporter is a perfect example of a star who understood how to use his position in a dignified manner to get his point across. Over the years, the star has been a role model for adults and kids through his discipline and work ethic. Speaking to a bunch of children during an event, the actor imparted a few words of wisdom on the importance of sport and said,
“At six A.M, I always feel I should be up and doing something productive. I do not miss a day. It keeps me in check—bench-pressing three hundred pounds will always be bench-pressing three hundred pounds. That will never change, no matter how much money I have or how famous I am.”
Total Recall director Paul Verhoeven believed that Schwarzenegger’s complete control of mind and body along with a sense of humor was the secret to his relatability and success. This unique combination of an innate goofiness coupled with an uncompromising dedication to his work made Arnold Schwarzenegger one of the most popular celebrities of his era. Despite controversies that would plague the actor later on in his career, the Predator star’s commitment to his work has never been up for debate.
Source: Vanity Fair
