Arnold Schwarzenegger was “discouraged” from pursuing success in Hollywood.
Arnold Schwarzenegger became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars
The 77-year-old actor turned his focus towards the American movie business after he retired from bodybuilding in the 1970s – but Schwarzenegger was warned at the time that his ambitions were unrealistic.
Speaking to his son Patrick Schwarzenegger, for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, he explained: “When I came to America, Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson were the highest-paid actors, with a million dollars a movie. I said, ‘I’ve got to be part of that.’ Eventually I made $30 million a movie, and I caught up with those guys.
“Even though everyone says, ‘Arnold, it’s never going to happen. Your name — Schnitzel or whatever it is — no one will remember, and you’re too big now.’
“In the ’70s, it’s Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino, Woody Allen — those are the big stars of the day. ‘They weigh 140 pounds, and look at you, 250, like a monster.’ I was discouraged; everything was impossible.
“But I had a clear vision of myself being up on top. That’s all I cared about. And so I climbed that ladder slowly.”
Schwarzenegger – who was born and raised in Austria – considers his starring role in the ‘Terminator’ franchise to be a turning point in his career.
The movie star reflected: “‘Terminator’ was a huge breakthrough because I was doing the ‘Conan’ movies, and this is exactly what my dream was when I was a kid.
“You wanted to get into acting because of acting; I wanted to get into it…
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