Arnold Schwarzenegger’s extramarital affair with Mildred Baena came to the limelight in 2011, wreaking havoc in his life. This affair not only led to his divorce from Shriver but also spoiled his public image. Years later in 2023, Schwarzenegger opened up on the hostility he faced due to this affair. He also explained how the COVID-19 pandemic played an important role in helping him alter people’s negative perceptions of him. 

During the 2019 Coronavirus pandemic, lockdowns were announced throughout the world and people were encouraged to stay at home to prevent the transfer of the virus. In these tough times, the bodybuilding legend was highly active on social media, just like the rest of the world. So what exactly did Schwarzenegger do? 

Arnold Schwarzenegger holds nothing back about the negative perception and how it changed during the pandemic  

The Austrian Oak narrated to The Atlantic how women developed a negative view of him after his extramarital affair. “The girls are saying F*** this f*** this I’m out of here, this guy was a creep all along…I hope Maria leaves him”, he recounted. However, after the first COVID-19 outbreak in 2019, Schwarzenegger grasped the opportunity to connect with his audience.

He made exercise videos, handwashing videos, and videos where he narrated his experience as an immigrant coming to America. These videos not only helped him to escape the dreariness of remote work but also helped him improve his image in public opinion. 

Further, the Austrian Oak described the impact of the videos, “Now all of a sudden, I have all these broads coming up to me saying, “Oh you won me over with this video.” Recently, the Austrian Oak has also launched a newsletter named Pump Daily which helped Schwarzenegger improve his image in the eyes of the audience, and motivate fans to ensure fitness. In a recent edition of this newsletter, the Austrian Oak gave rare insights about his challenges after migrating to America in 1968. With this, he also tells fans why he decided to settle in America to pursue his bodybuilding career. 

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The Austrian Oak opens up about his early career which shaped his success 

Schwarzenegger related that after he won the Mr. Universe competition, he made up his mind to settle in America since he felt a sense of belongingness there. “I literally was so excited when I got the invitation after I won Mr. Universe in England that I didn’t want to go back to Munich, where I lived to get my things”, he recounted. 

Continuing, he shared how he experienced language barriers since he wasn’t good at speaking in English. However, despite this, Schwarzenegger didn’t speak German and continued to speak in English. Narrating how people made fun of him due to his faulty English, Schwarzenegger recalled how he didn’t let the criticism affect him. 

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The Austrian Oak’s statements indicate his arduous efforts to turn the tide over the general public’s negative opinion. How are you inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s journey? Share your views in the comments section.