Why Arnold Schwarzenegger Stopped Body Building And Became An Actor
screenrant.comArnold Schwarzenegger’s career path from bodybuilder to movie star may seem puzzling at first glance. Before the natural-born Austrian immigrated to America and made his name in Hollywood, he was the youngest person ever to win the Mr. Universe title at the age of 20. He then proceeded to win the title another five times, as well as winning seven Mt. Olympia titles, all of which secured his status as a world-renowned athlete and bodybuilder in the 1960s and 70s.
He started his acting career after moving to America in 1968, and his first role was in the 1970 film Hercules In New York. It wasn’t until 1982, however, that a breakout role in Conan The Barbarian paved the way for Schwarzenegger to become the Terminator in 1984. From here on, Arnold’s titanic place in the halls of cinematic history was cemented, and there was no looking back.
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What’s so remarkable about Arnold’s transition from bodybuilder to world-famous actor is that it was always his plan. The disparate careers were intrinsically linked in his mind from a young age, two adjacent steps on a grandiose path to the future he desired. Growing up in a devastated, impoverished post-WWII Austria made him ravenous for a better life, and as a teenager he fixed his mind on how to build one for himself. That future likely didn’t involve Schwarzenegger’s infamous stint as Mr. Freeze, but questionable roles aside, it’s safe to say he succeeded. In a 2001 speech in Sacramento, California (via Schwarzenegger), Arnold revealed his envisioned 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
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