Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career path from bodybuilder to movie star may seem mysterious at first glance. Before the Austrian native immigrated to America and made a name for himself in Hollywood, he was the youngest person ever to win the Mr. Universe title at age 20. He went on to win the title five more times, as well as winning seven titles at Mount Olympia, each of which cemented his status as a world-famous athlete and bodybuilder in the 1960s and 70s.
He began his acting career after moving to America in 1968, and his first role was in the 1970 film Hercules in New York. However, it wasn’t until 1982’s breakout role in Conan the Barbarian that paved the way for Schwarzenegger to become The Terminator in 1984. back.
What’s remarkable about Arnold’s transformation from bodybuilder to world-famous actor is that it was always his plan. The different careers were inextricably linked in his mind from a young age, two adjacent steps on the grand path to the future he desired. Growing up in devastated and impoverished Austria after World War II left him yearning for a better life, and as a teenager he began to wonder how to build one for himself. That future likely didn’t include Schwarzenegger’s infamous role as Mr. Freeze, but questionable roles aside, it’s safe to say he did well. In a 2001 speech in Sacramento, California (via Schwarzenegger), Arnold revealed his supposed path from bodybuilder to actor:
“My own plan formed when I was 14 years old… One day, I saw a magazine in a store window. The cover showed a muscle man in an ancient warrior costume… It said, “Mr. Universe Now Starring In Hercules Movie….” It turned out that Hercules was an English guy who’d won the Mr. Universe title in bodybuilding, and parlayed that into a movie career…. Bingo! I had my role model! If he could do it, I could do it! I’d win Mr. Universe. I’d become a movie star. I’d get rich. One, two, three – bing, bang, boom! I found my passion. I got my goal.”
Why Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Acting Career Initially Struggled (And How It Changed)
However, that doesn’t mean Schwarzenegger’s transition from bodybuilder to ’80s action star was easy. His first film was the campy Hercules in 1970s New York. Over the next 12 years, he struggled to find work, landing small film roles and one-off guest roles on television. It wasn’t until 1982’s Conan the Barbarian that Arnold Schwarzenegger achieved mainstream success in Hollywood and starred in action classics Conan the Destroyer, The Terminator, Commando, Red Sonja, Predator and Man Runner. ” Five years. It’s a testament to Schwarzenegger’s determination that he stuck with it for over a decade, never giving up, before landing his breakout role.
Between his iconic entertainment career and Schwarzenegger’s upcoming films and TV shows, it’s easy to forget that he was ever anything other than a movie star. Although his transition from bodybuilder to actor seemed as unlikely then as it does now, he defied the odds and fought for the life and career he wanted. If he had not become an actor through bodybuilding, it is likely that he would have found another career to make his way onto the silver screen. Like the Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger was unstoppable.