Arnold Schwarzenegger is a bodybuilding icon and one of the greatest action stars in Hollywood. He rose to stardom with films like Terminator, Conan the Barbarian, Total Recall, Stay Hungry, and more.
The Australian actor is known for his exceptional muscular build, even now at the age of 76, and his dedication to fitness is an inspiration for millions. Among his hit films was Eraser, in which his co-actor was selected by his former wife, Maria Shriver.
Schwarzenegger shared in an interview that the actress, Vanessa Williams’ name was suggested by his former wife for a surprising reason.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ex-wife suggested Vanessa Williams’ name for Eraser
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been a fan favorite for decades due to his excellent comedy and action skills. The star was the lead in the 1996 film, Eraser. He appeared on Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he revealed how his female co-star for the film was finalized. Talking about working with Williams, he was full of praise. He said,
“Vanessa Williams did a brilliant job. She was fabulous… Vanessa was a joy to work with,”
Leno asked how his then-wife, Maria Shriver, felt about him working with Vanessa Williams, but was stunned when the True Lies star shared that it was her who had suggested the actress for the movie.
The actor shared,
“In this case, Maria actually suggested her.”
“We were thinking about who should we get, that is new, refreshing looking, and is very talented? And then Maria brought it up.”
The seven-time Mr. Olympia winner also shared the reason for his wife to choose Williams,
“I said, why would you pick her? And she said, well, I know you’ve been drooling over the last 10 years.”
Eraser’s plot focuses on a U.S. Marshal of WITSEC who protects a senior operative, who testified about an illegal arms deal. He is forced to fight his former allies, as one of them was revealed to be a mole inside WITSEC.
The film was a box office success and grossed $242 million worldwide. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Effects Editing in 1997.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver’s marriage timeline
The Batman and Robin fame, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and famous journalist Maria Shriver were introduced by a mutual friend in 1977. Soon they started dating, and the couple tied the knot in 1986 after almost a decade. The pair welcomed four children together, daughters Katherine and Christina, and sons Patrick and Christopher.
However, in 2011, Shriver announced her separation from Schwarzenegger after 25 years of marriage. It was after The Expendables star admitted to having fathered a child, Joseph Baena, with their family housekeeper. The incident happened 14 years before the separation. Shriver filed for divorce, and it was finalized in December 2021.
Eraser is available for rent on Apple TV.
Source- Tonight Show with Jay Leno
