Terminator vs. The Hulk: Net Worth Comparison of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno are the two bodybuilding stars who came from the world of fitness to the entertainment industry and with them, they brought a wave of ripped physiques that would eventually become every action hero’s goal. Both actors gave the film industry two of the most iconic characters, The Terminator and The Hulk. Even to this day, decades after the release of their movie and television series, these remain some of the most-watched films and a classic fan favorite.

Both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno’s successful movies have fetched them enough wealth, which skyrocketed their net worths. As many bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts have complained about a bodybuilding career from an economic perspective being extremely adverse, these stars’ major income came from the media sphere. In fact, these two movies have contributed to their wealth so much that their net worth has lept into the millions. Let us first look at how much money Lou Ferrigno earned from his movie The Incredible Hulk and through his contracts and prize money from Mr. Universe.

Lou Ferrigno’s Net worth

In comparison to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno has a net worth of $12 million at present. According to nichesss.com, he takes the position of the sixth-richest bodybuilder in the fitness industry. With Dave Bautista preceding him by a difference of only $4 million. Ferrigno, who has done about 25 movies and appeared in another 25 TV shows, has earned significantly from these sources. Moreover, being the personal trainer of Michael Jackson also brought him much fame and money. Appointed by Donald Trump, Lou Ferrigno also served as the representative of fitness and nutrition for a limited period, which helped add to his bigger sums.

The bodybuilder, along with his wife, Carla Ferrigno, had significantly invested their wealth into real estate. The year they got married, in 1980, the couple bought a home worth $547000, located in Santa Monica. Almost four decades later, the bodybuilder sold the house for $3.2 million while initially listing it for $3.9 million. Ferrigno had acquired another $2.9 Million worth of houses in Pismo Beach, which not only spread over five acres but also let the people have an ocean view from within the house.

Ferrigno’s rival, on the other hand, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has transcended to another level, in terms of wealth. Let us look at how the richest bodybuilder in the world reached such heights financially.

Arnold Schwarzenegger earned $4,400 for every line he spoke in The Terminator

Be it his career in bodybuilding, acting, or politics, wherever Arnold Schwarzenegger set foot, he had immense success and gained much fame and wealth. Schwarzenegger had confessed about his childhood when he did not have much money. He thus stated, “I had a feel for business, to make money and I was never shy of working. I’ve always loved working.” And with this simple mantra, he increased his net worth to $450 million. With the first Terminator movie, Schwarzenegger made about $4,400 per line. And it is only a fragment of his net worth from the entertainment industry. According to Parade, “In today’s dollars, that’d be about $13,100 per word.” For his next two Terminator movies, he earned $14 million and 29.25 million respectively.

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However, The Terminator movie series is only a small section of what contributed to the humongous sum that Arnold possesses. Although back in his day, Schwarzenegger did not get enough money through bodybuilding, still, his consistent wins across all the stages did add to his wallet. The bodybuilder who once had to pay a huge fine for promotions of his political agenda did have ample money coming through his political career as a whole. The Austrian Oak, however, got his very first million by investing in real estate. He had claimed, “Buildings that I would buy for $500K within the year were $800K and I put only maybe $100K down, so you made 300% on your money.”

The rivalry between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno

In one of the shorts shared by OOFAFitness on YouTube, Schwarzenegger, who once competed against the 6 feet 5 inches, Lou Ferrigno, explained how he was ready to go to any lengths to compete and win. He said, “I will mix him up. He will be ready to lose. I mean, I would just talk him into that.”

In the same video, the bodybuilder told Ferrigno, “Just get it over with, if you retire this year, you just never had the Olympia.” Moreover, in another clip, as Ferrigno was doing his fitness routine, the Austrian Oak asked him how well he was doing that day, and in reply, Ferrigno only said, “I’m going to lose. Arnold. You’re the best.”

Both the bodybuilder and the actor were immensely popular back in their peaks and even now. Their net worth only preaches their skills, which they could turn into material wealth through various movies and fitness events. And even though both are in their 70s now, they still challenge each other even if it’s a game of chess.

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