Arnold Schwarzenegger has been a cherished part of the film industry for decades. His influence on the action-film genre cannot be put into words, revolutionizing how fighting movies are made through projects like The Terminator franchise, Predator, Commando, and Total Recall. While all of these works are iconic in their own right, many more roles helped pave the actor’s reputation in Hollywood.
One of the best examples is 1997’s Batman & Robin. As Schwarzenegger moves into the next steps of his life, becoming a grandfather for the third time, here is a look back at how he got the role of Mr. Freeze in the Joel Schumacher film.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Guilt-Tripped
The process of joining the cast of a film can vary depending on the actors, the roles, and the film itself. While many actors have to audition for roles, when Joel Schumacher was casting the role of Mr. Freeze, he did not have to look too far. Arnold Schwarzenegger had already become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood when the film was made.
So the question wasn’t if Schwarzenegger would fit the role, but how would Schumacher convince the actor to join the film. During a segment of The Making of ‘Batman & Robin’ | Behind The Scenes, the actor revealed just how he was convinced to join the cast of the film.
Joel Schumacher came to me and said that he would like me to play Mr. Freeze. ‘I would not direct the movie, because I only can do this movie if you play Mr. Freeze.’ So, what are you gonna do? I mean, screw up a whole movie?
It would seem that upon their very first conversation on the matter, the director took an approach of emotional blackmail rather than civilized conversation. Schwarzenegger was told that if he did not join the cast of the film, Schumacher would not make the movie altogether. He then posed a question to Schwarzenegger, asking him if he really wanted to be responsible for the cancellation of an entire movie.
He made me feel like I would make this whole thing fall apart if I’m not part of this. So he made me feel like, you know, King Kong. So I said to him, I called him the next day and said, ‘You know something, Joel? I’m going to do Mr. Freeze.
Naturally, the Terminator actor felt a lot of pressure after being put in such a position. He felt a huge responsibility on his shoulders and did not want to let anyone down. Interestingly enough, Schumacher’s extreme method of negotiation ended up working, and Schwarzenegger said yes.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Becomes a Grandfather Again
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been an icon and role model for many generations since his first step into stardom. Fans have seen him earn all of his biggest achievements, be it personal or professional. One can almost say that the actor’s life has been a story his fans have enjoyed unfolding over the years. Knowing this, it is almost heartwarming to know that he is becoming a grandfather yet again.
Chris Pratt and Schwarzenegger’s daughter, Katherine Schwarzenegger, have recently announced that they are pregnant for the third time. Having two daughters, Eloise Christina, who is two years old, and Lyla Maria, who is three, it was recently reported by People Magazine by a source that the pair were expecting baby number 3.
It is safe to say that fans are having a bittersweet sort of feeling—being happy for Schwarzenegger to become a grandfather again, but sad to watch him go through the test of time.
