When asked about his success as an actor, Schwarzenegger had an uncomplicated approach; he said he chooses “movies people like to see. It’s that simple. You try to make sure the movies are memorable. Not just another movie.” He continued, “You’ve got to have a feeling for hipness.
You milk certain lines. ‘Hasta la vista, baby,’ or, ‘I lied.’ You go a little over the top. People love it. Kids love it. And you do some athletic stuff, some fitness, and people think you’re cool.” His methods have certainly paid off well if you think about the success of his list of accolades!
The Terminator
Schwarzenegger finally found his place in 1984’s "The Terminator," where he stepped comfortably into the role of action star. The movie did so well that it received a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and received a lot of good feedback from critics. Arnie played the role of a cybernetic assassin who was sent back in time from the year 2029 to 1984 to assassinate and destroy.
He grew his action-film prowess alongside other big stars like Sylvester Stallone during the 1980s, although Schwarzenegger’s roles were generally more comedic. Ironically, his European background did not deter filmmakers from repeatedly casting him as the all-American action hero, a position the public received very well!
A Terminator Once Again
James Cameron was unsatisfied with just one blockbuster film and decided to expand the Terminator franchise. And, of course, given the success of the first film, Schwarzenegger reprised his role in the prequels. No one thought that the franchise would go on to produce a total of five “Terminator” movies but here we are.
He went on to star in "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" in 1991, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" in 2003, "Terminator Genisys" in 2015, and "Terminator: Dark Fate" in 2019. You could certainly say that Cameron enjoyed working with him, and Schwarzenegger did not grow tired of the role!
Maria Shriver
Arnold Schwarzenegger finally appeared to settle down when he married Maria Shriver in 1986, a member of the illustrious Kennedy family that was so famous at the time. In a 2009 commencement speech at the University of Southern California, Schwarzenegger cheekily commented on the necessary turns to take on the road to success: “Number one, come to America. Number two, work your butt off. And number three, marry a Kennedy.”
Schwarzenegger continued to work his butt off, and, in 2020, his net worth is estimated to be around $400 million. But despite the fame and the money, his extramarital habits would threaten his seemingly perfect life...
A Family of His Own
Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger settled in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, although they also had vacation homes in Sun Valley, Idaho, and Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. They had four children together, their first being Katherine, born on December 13, 1989, followed by Christina, born on July 23, 1991.
Sons Patrick was born on September 18, 1993, and Christopher born on September 27, 1997, would follow later. All seemed well for the happy family of six until a disturbing discovery came out years down the line that shocked everyone and was mostly responsible for shifting dynamics in the Schwarzenegger family.