In 1982, just under two years after retiring from competitive?bodybuilding?for good,?Arnold Schwarzenegger?starred in his breakthrough role. The comic book movie Conan the Barbarian, starring the Austrian as its lead, did better than anticipated. The seven-time Mr. Olympia’s physique was nothing like anyone had seen in Hollywood. Years later, The Notebook star Rachel McAdams watched Conan the Barbarian and couldn’t look away.

In April, she appeared in an interview with co-star Abby Ryder Fortson while promoting her film,?Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. During the interview, the two female actors answered a series of questions. While answering one of those questions, McAdams revealed why a ripped Arnold Schwarzenegger gave the $25 million net-worth actress butterflies in her stomach.

Rachel McAdams makes a riveting confession about Conan the Barbarian

During the interview, one of the questions the two actresses had to answer was,?“Who was your first celebrity crush?”?Fortson didn’t want to talk about it.?“I don’t wanna relive that again,”?said the 15-year-old. However, the Doctor Strange star remembered who her first celebrity crush was and exclaimed,?“Oh my gosh!”

“I remember seeing Conan the Barbarian and having like a little funny feeling in my tummy,”?confessed the 44-year-old. Conan the Barbarian was released in 1982. Back then, the Canadian Hollywood star was only three and a half years old. However, she said Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan was her first celebrity crush; she turned to Fortson.?“Have you seen it?”?she asked the 15-year-old, but Fortson replied that she knew about Conan the Barbarian and Arnie. Coincidentally, the young actress revealed she was a massive fan of the 1970s. From the clothes to the music, she loved everything about the era. Hence, it’s not surprising she knows about the action star.

While Schwarzenegger’s ripped physique impressed McAdams, few people know that at 12%, Arnie was carrying nearly twice the body fat of his bodybuilding days.

Arnold Schwarzenegger had to downsize to play the role

The former Mr. Universe impressed director John Milius while auditioning for the lead role in the 1984 film. However, the filmmaker had one issue with Arnie’s physique. Unlike the seven-time Mr. Olympia, Conan was a warrior, and Schwarzenegger’s 240 lbs. was?too muscular for the character. Hence, Schwarzenegger had to gain fat and lose muscle.

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The bodybuilder got to work. Instead of simply lifting weights, the bodybuilding champion incorporated various other training styles. He also trained under Kiyoshi Yamazaki to learn the art of swordplay. The bodybuilding icon also learned horse riding, among other things, to turn himself from Mr. Olympia into Conan.

What did you think of Rachel McAdams’s confession? Did you know Schwarzenegger had to lose his Olympia-winning physique to play the role? Let us know in the comments.

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