“I Was Way Too Ripped”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Had to Lose His Bodybuilding Career Gains to Feature in a $20 Million Worth Film

The Austrian Oak, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is one of the greatest bodybuilders of this generation. The legendary bodybuilder shifted his focus to acting after retiring from the sport. Arnie encountered success in the film business after a slow start and persevering for about a decade. The legendary bodybuilder had to go through a rigorous routine to prepare for his film ‘Conan the Barbarian’.

The film ‘Conan the Barbarian’ became Arnold’s first successful film. Since then, Arnold has been a part of multiple blockbuster films. He was considered one of the best action heroes of the 1980s alongside Sylvester Stallone.

Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals his preparation for the film

Arnold started his acting career in 1969 by doing minor roles in films and television series. His first film, ‘Hercules in New York’, did not perform well at the box office. After his first film, Arnold struggled to get lead roles in films. However, he was selected to play the lead actor in the 1982 film ‘Conan the Barbarian’.

Arnold had to build muscle to portray the heavy muscular body of Conan. He began a rigorous training routine to prepare for the film. Weeks into the training, he developed his muscles and had a ripped body. However, Arnold could not swing the sword properly because of his bulky muscles. The director, John Milius, asked Arnold to lose some weight. Describing his experience of working with John, Arnold said, “Great memories but here is the reality. Working with John Milius was fantastic because he was so hard-core.”

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Acknowledging the fact and to feature in a $20 million worth of film, he said,” But it is true that he thought I looked too much like a bodybuilder. I needed to lose some of the cuts because I had just won Mr. Olympia and I was way too ripped to be a barbarian.”

Arnold’s first blockbuster film

After trying to be successful in the film industry for over a year, Arnold finally found success after the movie ‘Conan the Barbarian’. The film revealed Arnold to the masses. People realized that not only was Arnold a great bodybuilder, but he was an incredible actor, too. This film paved the way for many opportunities that came his way.

The film grossed $79 million at the box office worldwide. After that, Arnold became famous for his stellar acting performances. His fans would wait for his action movies to hit the theaters. Arnold’s fans would declare his films to be blockbusters even before their release. It gives a glimpse of his fan following.

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