Arnold Schwarzenegger Lost Millionaire Close Friend After His Cheating Scandal During Marriage With Maria Shriver: “Should Have Never Been Treated in That Manner”

Arnold Schwarzenegger made a name for himself. First by winning countless bodybuilding championships, and then through his super successful acting career. He also served as the governor of California between 2003 and 2011. He has a massive fan following and many successful business ventures.

But the one part of Schwarzenegger’s life where he suffered a substantial loss: was his relationship with his ex-wife, Maria Shriver. After 25 years of marriage, they separated in 2011, after the bodybuilder’s affair with their housemaid came to light.

Arnold Schwarzenegger lost friends in the debacle as well 

As a big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger mingled with many people in the industry. His classic action hit ‘Predator’ introduced him to fellow athlete-turned-actor Jesse Ventura, and they became fast friends. While filming in Mexico, they grew close, and the former professional wrestler talked about Schwarzenegger in one of his books.

At the time, Schwarzenegger had recently proposed to Maria Shriver. The ‘Terminator’ star would prank Ventura about the size of their biceps, and Ventura, in turn, would tease him about his upcoming marriage. Thus, Schwarzenegger’s extramarital affair distanced them greatly. Ventura explained in an interview with Graham Bensinger.

“I’m only upset because I was also good friends with Maria and I had a great respect for her as a person, as a woman, and who she is,” Ventura shared. “I’ve been married 40 years, and I just thought he did her wrong.” Ventura had talked about how he admired Schwarzenegger’s focus and foresight. How he knew when to push forward and when to not give in.

“I guess maybe the puzzling thing would be I would side with the woman rather than the man. But in this case, I do. I have all the sympathy for Maria because she should have never been treated in that manner,” he continued. They hadn’t spoken to each other since the scandal, and Ventura does not believe they ever will.

Ventura and Schwarzenegger shared a deep mutual respect

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse “the Body” Ventura had a lot in common. They both competed in relatively obscure sports, became American action film icons and built a career in politics. The duo did three movies together: Predator, Batman and Robin, and The Running Man.

READ MORE: Arnold Schwarzenegger Once Blamed Political Career for Things “Falling Apart” With Maria Shriver

Ventura narrated an episode which made him respect Schwarzenegger’s approach to his career. “I watched him turn down 14 million dollars. They came in and offered him Predator 2 right there before one even went out and I watched. I was sitting right in there when he said no and when they left I looked at him and said, ‘Arnold, how do you turn down 14 million dollars?’”

The former professional wrestler maintained that he would have been eager to take the project for half the money they were offering Schwarzenegger. But the seven-time Mr. Olympia champion had a different vision.

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“He looked right at me and said, ‘Jesse, the time is not right.’ And he was correct,” he continued. “Look how long he made them wait for the second Terminator. He made them wait 7 years, so it was another mega-hit.” But despite Ventura’s admiration for Schwarzenegger, his dalliance with another woman, while he was married, was unforgivable in Ventura’s eyes.