It is safe to say that Arnold Schwarzenegger has aced every role that life bestowed upon him. Whether it’s being a bodybuilder, an actor, or a politician, legend has conquered it all. While the ‘Austrian Oak’ is known for his lead role in ‘The Terminator’ franchise, the world’s perception of Arnold changed with this movie from 1977.

Arnold and his biggest bodybuilding rival, Lou Ferrigno, starred in the movie ‘Pumping Iron’. This movie changed how the audience saw both legendary bodybuilders at that time. But it also left countless questions in the audience’s minds. Arnold once sat down in 2009, answering these burning questions and busting some myths about the film.

Was all of it true? Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals the reality

‘Pumping Iron’ was an inspiring movie, as per the bodybuilder. The audience walked away in awe of the bodybuilders and their contribution. However, many of the incidents shown in the film left the audience questioning their favorite bodybuilder’s real side. On one hand, the movie portrayed Lou as an underdog, hell-bent on defeating Arnold. On the other hand, the motion picture showed Arnold as a cold, calculating bodybuilder who psyched out his rivals.

Post-release, many wondered if Arnold was a calculative and arrogant person in real life. In an interview from 2009, however, Arnold revealed the truth behind the movie and its plot. He talked about how people plagued him with questions, even though the feature was released quite a while ago. The legend recounted how people asked around, “Did Arnold really psyche out Lou Ferrigno? Did he really not go home to his father’s funeral because it was just shortly before a competition, and was he really that cold?”.

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However, Arnold dismissed the speculations. The legend explained how the movie was meant to entertain the audience while providing a sneak peek into the world of bodybuilding. Some depictions, like the number of hours spent in the gym and the sacrifices the athletes made, were true. But the calculative behavior, making a hero and a villain out of the story, and many other things were pure dramatizations in the plot.

So did Arnold actually not attend his father’s funeral?

To clarify further, Arnold revealed that the part where he refused to go to his father’s funeral was fictionalized. He heard that story from a bodybuilder in France. Arnold’s father passed away in 1972, three months after the competition. He explained that the movie’s investors suggested adding fictional portions to the film to keep the audience entertained.

Regardless of the portrayal, ‘Pumping Iron’ gave the audience a good view into the lives of legendary bodybuilders. It provided a window into the bodybuilding world and inspired many to work hard towards their goals.

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