In the early stages of their careers, both Mel Gibson and Arnold Schwarzenegger found themselves wrestling with a unique challenge that set them apart from the crowd, their unmistakable accents. They eventually successfully triumphed over the initial struggle, proving that true talent cannot be bound, even when wrapped in an accent as vibrant as theirs.
As they navigated the competitive land of Hollywood, both Gibson and Schwarzenegger encountered skepticism that questioned whether their accents could be an obstacle to their success. Thus, both actors faced the same fate and lost the privilege to voice their characters initially before launching into stardom.
Mel Gibson’s Voice Was Re-dubbed in the US Version of Mad Max
In the past, Hollywood seemed to have a serious issue with actors with thick heavy accents, with the industry being hesitant to take risks despite the US audiences being somewhat comfortable with their dialect. Although Arnold Schwarzenegger paved the way for Mel Gibson, unfortunately, he couldn’t save him from the industry’s reservations.
But despite having his voice taken away, Mel Gibson’s outstanding performance in the 1979 movie Mad Max not only turned it into a hit but also catapulted him into a height of unimaginable success that many actors can only dream of.
AIP or American International Pictures feared that the thick Australian accent would get in the way of the American watchers enjoying the movie to its full potential. But that did not stop Gibson from being one of the biggest stars of Hollywood, proving time and again with each film why he is worthy of all the success. In addition to that the US dubbed version was also met with subsequent criticism as it not only redubbed all the Australian dialogue but also made changes in various sound effects, that were never there in the original version to begin with.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Thick Austrian Accent Prevented Him From Voicing His First Acting Gig
But much before, Gibson it was Schwarzenegger who faced difficulties in the industry for his accent. Although a great actor, his success was somewhat hindered by Hollywood’s insecurity of not quite understanding his thick Austrian accent. Thus, in his first ever movie, a 1970s action-comedy titled Hercules in New York, he had to appear with his strong accent hidden under a dub of a voice actor. However, the DVD release from Trimark includes the actual gem that is the “Original English Track,” which finally allowed the US audiences to witness what they had actually missed out on.
With a 14% critic Tomatometer and a mere 27% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, it was much understandable that Hercules in New York was not as loved as Mad Max, in the case of his fellow actor Mel Gibson. The unfortunate combination of a poorly dubbed-over voice for Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with the production issues, led the movie to be such a failure. But it also opened many doors for Schwarzenegger that would ultimately lead him to a path of undying stardom.
Source: Screen Rant
