Arnold Schwarzenegger has donned multiple hats across his prolific career. Starting from a small town in Austria, the Terminator paved his path to Hollywood, crossing many hurdles. But how did a small-town boy from Gratz make his way up to become a household name in the United States?
Schwarzenegger had many challenges to overcome before he could gain popularity. One of them was a language barrier that barred him from interacting with his dream country normally. Schwarzenegger was determined to make it big after he began his bodybuilding career at 21. And to do so, he had a plan.
From Austria to America, how did Arnold Schwarzenegger step into bodybuilding?
At 15, Schwarzenegger knew that he wanted to be a muscular star, just like his idols, Reg Park and Steve Reeves. And to embark on that path, he had to make a name for himself in the fitness arena. He began his journey through strength training by joining his local powerlifting team.
View this post on Instagram
Later, as he became a local name in and around his town, he transitioned to bodybuilding. While he had a separate set of challenges, as his parents weren’t optimistic about his career choices, Schwarzenegger pressed on. At 20, he became the youngest Mr. Universe and won a ticket to his dreamland, the United States. Upon reaching America, the 21-year-old Austrian Oak soon impressed everyone with his conditioning, potential, and passion for the sport.
Challenges Schwarzenegger faced in America: Language barriers
Despite being optimistic about the new country, Schwarzenegger realized that he lacked the skills to communicate effectively. Specifically, he lacked the knowledge required to pick up on the language. His English back then was broken, and not many were kind to him about that. It didn’t hit him much until he got the chance to play his dream character, Hercules.
View this post on Instagram
When he eventually transitioned to Hollywood, many made fun of his thick Austrian accent. It got so bad that filmmakers ended up dubbing over his dialogues in his first film, ‘Hercules in New York’, so he sounded close to home for the average American. Despite this, he overcame the ridicule and hired a tutor to coach him in English. And now, because of his signature accent, Schwarzenegger is synonymous with the ‘Terminator’—a character his fans know and love extensively.
What languages does Arnold Schwarzenegger speak?
Currently, Schwarzenegger seems to be fluent in his mother tongue, German, and English. One he acquired courtesy of growing up in Gratz, and the other he learned over the years in America.
He often also throws in German words for fun while talking about certain Austrian quirks about fitness. He once advised fans to get a ‘schvitz’ once in a while to keep one’s mind and body healthy. Here, it means a sauna or a steam bath. Be it his occasional cigars or ‘schnitzel’, Schwarzenegger has made a special place for his unique lingo to live in the hearts of his fans.
