Arnold Schwarzenegger Among Top Three Actors Whose Accent Is Hardest for Americans to Understand, Says Study

Austrian-American Arnold Schwarzenegger came to the USA in 1968, leveraging his prowess in bodybuilding. He hoped to make it as a Hollywood actor. He won seven Mr. Olympia titles, becoming one of the greatest bodybuilders ever. But it took a while before Schwarzenegger got his big break on the silver screen and launched into stardom. 

Now, he is counted among the most popular action heroes from the 80s and has done over 40 movies. He became famous for his iconic roles like the Terminator and Conan. His thick Austrian accent lent to his popularity, but it seems it’s still pretty tough for Americans to understand.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has a difficult-to-understand accent

Preply surveyed people to understand why the American public is so heavily inclined toward subtitles. While the background score and lighting themes in production make it harder to discern the dialogue, the accents and speaking pace of the actors are also significant factors.

English-speaking countries generally have unique accents and colloquialisms that are sometimes hard to understand. With so many incredible actors coming from diverse backgrounds, audiences find it hard to keep track of the dialogue. Findings of the study show that on the list of actors whose accents are hardest to understand for the American public, Arnold Schwarzenegger lies in third place.

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He follows Tom Hardy and Sofia Vergara, lying in the first and second positions, respectively. Even after over five decades in America, the bodybuilder has not lost his charming Austrian accent. And where that packs quite the punch in the delivery of his one-liners, it also leads the public to turn on the subtitles for his movies.

Hollywood initially rejected Schwarzenegger for his accent

On Schwarzenegger’s first attempt to break into the Hollywood scene, many people told him it would be impossible for him to gain popularity. They cited his accent as one factor that turned him away from many opportunities.

His bodybuilding career gave him a strong body with pronounced muscles. Add to that his mouthful of a last name, the industry was convinced he would never catch the public eye. “The majority of people in Hollywood said it would never happen because of my accent, because of my body being overly developed, and because of my name – that wouldn’t be able to pronounce,” he narrated during a ‘Terminator’ Q&A.

But Schwarzenegger had a vision, unwilling to compromise on his dreams. He kept fighting for a chance in the industry and eventually became a mega-hit superstar. We saw the wildest action movies thanks to his rivalry with Sylvester Stallone, and his work in comedy, too, is one for the books.

Though the premonition from the naysayers that his accent would be difficult for the people to understand came true, it didn’t affect his popularity on the silver screen. Instead, it boosted him to the iconic status he enjoys.

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