Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s unparalleled legacy can be credited to his strong belief system. The 76-year-old believed in being at the top of his game by attracting opportunities. He shifted gears to acting when he was reigning the bodybuilding stage. Despite initial setbacks, Schwarzenegger carved his place at the top of the cinema field. 

Now, a veteran bodybuilding icon, Victor Martinez, comments on Arnie’s unique style of making it big in Hollywood. The Arnold Classic champion hailed the Terminator icon for his capabilities. 

Victor Martinez on Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Austrian Oak left home at age 21 to realize bodybuilding dreams in America. He was soon declared the bodybuilding icon by his fans as they witnessed his ripped physique on Mr. Olympia’s stage and Pumping Iron documentary. After earning respect from the masses for his athletic brilliance, Arnie wanted to prove himself as a hero of Hollywood. 

Announcing retirement from the bodybuilding stage in 1975, Schwarzenegger tried acting. His thick accent and physique were criticized, but the Terminator icon believed he could be a hero. In his debut film, Hercules in New York, he didn’t get to dub his dialogues as they were voice overed. But he navigated the situation with hope. Soon, he signed up for action films and was labeled as the action superstar of the 1980s. 

While discussing whether bodybuilders can have successful careers in Hollywood, Victor Martinez said, “It was just a different freaking guide, and he was one of the few great bodybuilders then with that kind of personality, so he kind of forced it into the movie scene.” Even his role in the iconic Terminator franchise came after director James Cameron realized Arnie understood the character. 

How the Governator became the Terminator

The Austrian Oak’s first big hit in Hollywood was Conan the Barbarian. The bodybuilding icon aced all his stunts in the movie and made his presence felt on screen. Soon he was chosen for a role in Terminator. However, it wasn’t the lead role. 

But when Schwarzenegger opened up about his perspective of the lead role after watching Yul Brynner’s machine role in ‘Westworld’ over a lunch discussion, Cameron was impressed. “Whoever he plays it, I said, you got to train them to be a machine, not to act like a machine, ” Arnie once confessed. Cameron later cast him as the Terminator, and the rest was history. 

Read More: 39 Years After Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator Release, James Cameron’s Co-Screenwriter Discloses an Unheard Secret About a Pivotal Scene

Despite the obstacles and criticisms, Schwarzenegger never doubted his capabilities to become a lead actor in movies. So he stood by his ground, and time evolved him into the finest actor the cinema arena ever witnessed. 

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