Arnold Schwarzenegger is the epitome of masculinity. He’s a bodybuilder, an action hero, and a former governor of California. But did you know he’s also a math whiz? In a lunchroom not far from the set of the 1985 film Commando, young actress Alyssa Milano was struggling with an algebra problem. Schwarzenegger, who was not even the studio teacher on the set, came to her aid and helped her work it out.
Arlene Singer: The Studio Teacher
Studio instructors take center stage when the cameras stop rolling. They use the classrooms on sets of films, TV shows, and commercials to instruct young actors, typically in high school. Arlene Singer, a studio teacher, played the role of a teacher on Commando.
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Singer would instruct child actors Alyssa Milano and Danny Pintauro for the minimum required three hours of school per day under California law. There was a plain building on the studio lot where the casts of Who’s the Boss?, The Facts of Life and The Charmings would meet for their weekly meetings.
Singer gave Pintauro one-on-one lessons in spelling and mathematics, then went next door to lecture Milano on biology. Despite the glitz and glamour of the set, Singer and her coworkers took their jobs seriously and provided a solid education for the child actors in their employ. This is also when Schwarzenegger’s help with Algebra came in at the right time.
When Arnold Schwarzenegger Helped With Algebra
According to Milano, Arnold Schwarzenegger noticed her struggling with her math problems and offered to help her out. Even though he was in the middle of filming a high-intensity action movie, Schwarzenegger took the time to sit down with Milano and help her solve her algebra equations.
“He even helped with my algebra homework.”
The Terminator actor got the question wrong despite stepping in to tutor Milano in algebra when she was having trouble. Schwarzenegger has been lauded for his helpfulness on set before. His fellow actors have often gushed about his kind heart and willingness to assist those in need.
Schwarzenegger’s dedication to education is exemplified by the fact that he helped his young co-star with her algebra homework. He has advocated for education and after-school programs for quite some time and even served as Governor of California, where he made efforts to improve the state’s educational system.
While Algebra was not his best suit, the action film Commando made over $57.5 million at the box office against a $9 million budget. On the weekend of October 4-6, 1985, the film opened at the top of the box office in the United States, remaining there for the next three weeks. The movie also turned out to be one of the highlights in Schwarzenegger’s Hollywood portfolio.
Following his role in the movie, fans were hopeful they would see their favorite actor in a sequel that was never made.
Source: IMDb
