arnold schwarzenegger biography netflix

Arnold: What To Know Before You Watch The Netflix Docuseries

The American Dream realized...

• The Interviews
• The Episodes

For the past half-century and change, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been one of the most well-known figures on the planet, be it as a bodybuilder and Mr. Universe, one of the greatest action stars of all time, or the former governor of California . The larger-than-life icon’s life, career, and all the ups and downs that came with both, is the subject of the informative and introspective docuseries, Arnold , which debuted on Netflix in June 2023.

Released just weeks after the “Governator” and his FUBAR series hit a major milestone on Netflix , this three-part documentary is something that longtime fans of the bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned-politician and general audiences will enjoy. But before diving into the decades-spanning series, there are a few things you should know about Arnold …

Arnold Chronicles The Various Stages Of Schwarzenegger's Life And Career

Though the docuseies has a short title, Arnold , this is not a brief affair. Over the course of the documentary, nearly every aspect of Arnold Schwarzenegger ’s life is explored in great detail. From his days as a young Austrian boy looking to realize the American dream one way or another, all the way to current times, the action star’s life and career is chronicled. Even those who have studied his book, The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding: The Bible of Bodybuilding , watched other documentaries, or followed his career, stand to learn something new from this doc.

The Docuseries Is Mostly Told Through Schwarzengger's Words, But Other Interviews Are Sprinkled In

For the most part, the story of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life and career is told by the man himself as he walks the viewer through everything that has happened in his life. However, this doesn’t mean that other people don’t appear from time to time to provide more insight, as co-stars like Sylvester Stallone , Jamie Lee Curtis , and Danny DeVito , politicians, journalists, and his family all appear throughout.

Arnold Is Informative And Introspective

Not only is Arnold an entertaining documentary about a boy becoming a man, a god, and the star of some of the greatest action movies of all time , it’s an informative and introspective exploration of that man’s life, successes, and failures. Whether he’s talking about the massive shock of moving to America and not immediately finding success or opening up about the “major failure” of his affair , the documentary presents a side of the action star rarely seen.

The Docuseries Consists Of Three One-Hour Episodes

Arnold is structured in a way that sees three, one-hour episodes, each tackling a different period of his remarkable story. The first chapter, titled “Athlete,” focuses on his early days and rise in the world of bodybuilding, the second, called “Actor,” touches on his unprecedented movie career, and the final, titled “American,” dives into his political career and scandals.

Arnold Is Rated TV-MA, Mostly For Its Language

Arnold has a TV-MA rating, and that’s mostly because of the language spoken by its subject. Throughout the documentary, Schwarzenegger doesn’t hold back with his language, using a barrage of four-letter words more times than you can count. And while there’s also smoking (mostly by Arnold with his customary cigars) and references to sexual themes throughout the 2023 Netflix series , the language is what does it. 

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If all of this sounds great, you can check out Arnold streaming with a Netflix subscription . And if you want to take a trip down memory lane after watching the new Netflix addition , take a look at our list of the best Arnold Schwarzengger movies .

Stream Arnold on Netflix.

Philip grew up in Louisiana (not New Orleans) before moving to St. Louis after graduating from Louisiana State University-Shreveport. When he's not writing about movies or television, Philip can be found being chased by his three kids, telling his dogs to stop barking at the mailman, or chatting about professional wrestling to his wife. Writing gigs with school newspapers, multiple daily newspapers, and other varied job experiences led him to this point where he actually gets to write about movies, shows, wrestling, and documentaries (which is a huge win in his eyes). If the stars properly align, he will talk about For Love Of The Game being the best baseball movie of all time.

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8 Unloved Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies That Are Actually Pretty Good

Amc's true detective-esque crime series with 100% rt score becomes netflix global hit, terminator zero review: thoughtful netflix anime is the best terminator installment we've gotten in years.

Arnold Schwarzenegger ’s amazing life story gets the Netflix documentary treatment in the new trailer for Arnold . A Hollywood legend thanks to action movies like The Terminator , Total Recall, True Lies and many more, Schwarzenegger famously rose to notoriety not as an actor but a bodybuilder, winning the title of Mr. Universe at age 20 and later being named Mr. Olympia seven times. Not content with conquering the worlds of bodybuilding and movie making, the native of Austria climbed the mountain of US politics as well, serving as governor of California from 1990 to 1993.

All these fascinating and unlikely Schwarzenegger accomplishments are now set to be recounted in a well-deserved documentary, as Netflix reveals the first trailer for its three-part series Arnold .

Schwarzenegger himself sits down in the new Netflix doc to recount his own history, revealing the story behind his humble origins in Austria, his time as a champion bodybuilder, his later reign as one of the true kings of Hollywood, and his brief stint as the unlikely leader of America’s most populous state.

Netflix Is Going All-In On Arnold Schwarzenegger

Though the star has wound down his feature film output in recent years, Netflix still believes he moves the needle enough that they’re making summer of 2023 a full-on Schwarzenegger Summer. In addition to the just-revealed three-part Arnold documentary, the streamer is set to release FUBAR , a comedic spy thriller series starring Schwarzenegger alongside Top Gun: Maverick ’s Monica Barbaro and Terminator: Dark Fate ’s Gabriel Luna, with guest spots from the likes of Tom Arnold, Adam Pally and Scott Thompson. Netflix is hoping Schwarzenegger will make the same small-screen impact with FUBAR as the action star's long-time rival Sylvester Stallone did with his hit Paramount+ series The Tulsa King .

Related: Why Arnold Schwarzenegger's Trench Isn't In The Expendables 4

It’s yet to be seen whether Schwarzenegger can conquer the summer of 2023 the same way he conquered the worlds of weight-lifting, action cinema and California politics, but if Schwarzenegger’s history has proven anything, it’s that it’s never wise to bet against him. After FUBAR brings the funny side of Schwarzenegger to the streamer on May 25, 2023, Arnold delivers the unbelievable true story of this unique American icon to Netflix on June 7, 2023.

Source: Netflix/YouTube

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Arnold’ On Netflix, A Docuseries Where Arnold Schwarzenegger Examines His Life

Where to stream:.

• Arnold Schwarzenegger

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In the three-part docuseries Arnold , Arnold Schwarzenegger examines his eventful, varied and high-achieving life. The hour-long episodes are roughly split among the three major phases of his adult life and career: “Athlete” is about his childhood and his time as a champion bodybuilder; “Actor” is about his decades-long career as an A-list action and comedy star; and “American” examines his political career, including his 2003-2011 tenure as governor of California.

ARNOLD : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: A steamy shot of Arnold Schwarzenegger in an outdoor Jacuzzi, holding a cigar in his dripping-wet fingers.

The Gist: In the first episode, Arnold talks about his childhood in Thal, Austria, discussing the tough childhood he and his brother had under his father, who was a former police chief and joined the Nazi party during World War II. His father Gustav used to have Arnold compete with his older brother Meinhard for everything, often beat his kids — which Arnold ascribed to postwar PTSD — and told his sons “Whatever you do, be useful.” Once he got into his teens, Arnold learned about the world outside of Austria and felt that he belonged somewhere else — eventually, he realized that somewhere else was the United States.

He connected with weight training in the city with Graz, and after seeing Reg Park in a Hercules movie and on the cover of a muscle magazine, Arnold found that bodybuilding would be his ticket to America. After spending his teenage years in Austria and Germany training, entering contests and either winning or placing well, he did his obligatory service in the Austrian military, going AWOL to enter a contest. He eventually made his way to London, where he found that the bodybuilders there worked their lower bodies more than he saw in Austria.

In 1967, he gets a telegram from bodybuilding legend Joe Weider, inviting him to train with him in his Miami gym. Arnold didn’t even go back to Austria; he moved to Miami and never looked back, entering Mr. Universe contests in the U.S. and eventually a new contest created by Weider, Mr. Olympia, pitting Mr. Universe winners against each other.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? The most recent example of a biographical documentary like Arnold , one that basically was narrated by the subject, was Michael J. Fox’s film Still .

Our Take: One of the things we learned while watching Arnold is that Arnold Schwarzenegger is not a person that wallows in self-reflection much. His recounting of his life is very businesslike, generally hitting the highlights and the good points and not dwelling too deeply on the negative parts.

Yes, the series is making headlines with Arnold’s discussions about the affair that eventually ended his marriage to Maria Shriver, and he responds to accusations of sexual assault that had been leveled at him over the years. But, judging by the first episode, it doesn’t seem like he’s going to be doing much in the way of reflection or offering mea culpas. It’ll more than likely be a situation where he’s matter-of-fact about what happened but not necessarily admit to anything or take any blame.

It’s the hazard of having Arnold mostly be the one telling his story — there are also interviews with some fellow bodybuilders, childhood friends, and his first serious girlfriend in the first episode. But it’s not a fatal flaw. Arnold’s matter-of-factness is very helpful during many parts of his story, as he’s clear-eyed in his telling of it.

The first part of Arnold’s life, especially his adult life, didn’t have a ton of major setbacks, so perhaps we’ll see a bit more of that as we examine his Hollywood and political careers. But, there were only some brief moments (see below) where Arnold’s all-business manner made us roll our eyes.

Sex and Skin: Lots of scenes of oiled up men, especially when scenes from the classic documentary about Arnold, Pumping Iron , are shown.

Parting Shot: Setting up the next episode, James Cameron recounts a conversation where Arnold tells him that “I don’t want to be an actor, I want to be a star.”

Sleeper Star: It was interesting to get the perspective of Barbara Baker, Arnold’s first girlfriend, who met the bodybuilder shortly after he came to the U.S. at 20, not knowing much English.

Most Pilot-y Line: When talking about the death of his older brother Mienhard, who died in a drunk-driving accident in 1971, he called his brother “fragile” more than once. He says, “When you’re a person who always has a goal, who always has a mission, the less time you have to think, ‘How do I feel today? Am I depressed today? Do I feel sorry for myself? Have I become a victim? Oh my god, I feel so bad about myself.’ I don’t have time for this crap. A lot of times, it’s people who don’t work enough. When you’re busy all the time, you don’t have time to think about this stuff.”

One might argue, though, that Arnold keeps himself busy so he doesn’t have to think about this stuff, even though thinking about it and addressing it is a healthy thing to do.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Despite the fact that Schwarzenegger isn’t exactly the most introspective person in the world, Arnold is still a fascinating portrait of a person who has was determined to be a success in the United States and has achieved in mostly every field he entered.

Joel Keller ( @joelkeller ) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com , VanityFair.com , Fast Company and elsewhere.

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Review | Netflix documentary review: Arnold – Schwarzenegger’s story as a bodybuilder, Hollywood movie star and American politician chronicled in engaging series

• Schwarzenegger’s story, propelled by his drive, charisma and candour, makes three-part Netflix documentary Arnold enthralling viewing
• In addition to Schwarzenegger’s own recollections, there are interviews with James Cameron, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sylvester Stallone and even David Cameron

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life story is one fit for a Hollywood epic. From his humble beginnings in rural Austria, he set his sights on the United States, where he clawed his way to the top of three totally unconnected arenas: first as a bodybuilder, then as a movie star and finally as a politician.

In a series of interviews for this three-part documentary from Waiting for Superman ’s Lesley Chilcott, the 75-year-old Austrian Oak openly discusses every facet of his life.

While there are not many new revelations for fans of this 188cm (6ft 2in) embodiment of the American dream, Schwarzenegger’s story, propelled by his drive, charisma and candour, makes Arnold enthralling viewing.

Most people will be aware of the broad strokes of Schwarzenegger’s career. He first achieved international recognition as Mr Universe, winning 13 world bodybuilding championships before transitioning into acting.

He had a bumpy start because of his thick, unshakeable accent and huge physique, but became one of the biggest action stars of the 1980s. By the early ’90s he was the most successful star on the planet thanks to hits like Twins , Terminator 2: Judgment Day and True Lies .

After undergoing life-saving heart surgery in 1997, he was forced to step away from acting. True to form, Schwarzenegger quickly bounced back, shifting gears once more to US politics.

Without any prior experience, he was elected Governor of California in 2003 where, over two terms, he secured the passage of significant education, transport and environmental legislation that transformed the state.

Each episode – titled “Athlete”, “Actor” and “American” respectively – focuses on one of these different iterations.

In addition to Schwarzenegger’s own recollections, recorded at his vast mountainous retreat, where he surrounds himself with farm animals, there are interviews with his chief of staff Susan Kennedy, James Cameron, Jamie Lee Curtis, long-time rival Sylvester Stallone, and even former British prime minister David Cameron.

Notably absent, however, are his own family, not least Maria Shriver, Schwarzenegger’s wife of 35 years and a member of the prominent Kennedy family.

It would appear no topic was off-limits during these interviews. Schwarzenegger addresses claims of sexual harassment that surfaced when he was campaigning for governor, as well as the revelation that he sired an illegitimate son in secret with his long-time housekeeper.

He is quick to admit to these faults, displaying remorse while also vowing to learn from his mistakes.

No doubt his answers have been carefully prepared and sculpted during production, but they nevertheless play into the same singular narrative that has propelled him to such extraordinary heights: that nothing is out of reach.

“Be useful” was seemingly the only advice passed down by his father, a World War II veteran who fought for the Nazis and returned a broken man, prone to violent, drunken outbursts.

On more than one occasion Schwarzenegger claims that his mind works differently to those of most people, and that his hunger to succeed and prove his naysayers wrong was what saw him turn his attention to bodybuilding – perhaps the most literal interpretation of self-improvement – and on to America and ultimately the world stage.

There is no denying that Arnold is an idealising biography. The ageing Schwarzenegger, sitting in his hot tub, sucking on a cheap cigar, is still the same poser and performer who stripped down to a Speedo, smeared himself in baby oil and flexed before fawning crowds.

He remains as gregarious and active as ever, and the show makes it difficult for us not to fall for his charms. Regardless of his personal failings, Schwarzenegger is an immigrant who came to America and transformed it, excelling at every industry he engaged with and paving the way for future generations.

This is the version of Schwarzenegger the documentary wants us to remember, an individual who may be only human but remains a truly remarkable specimen.

Arnold will start streaming on Netflix on June 7.

The fawning docuseries “Arnold” repackages Arnold Schwarzenegger ’s already well-spun and streamlined biography. In three hour-long episodes devoted to his three major careers (bodybuilder, movie actor, and politician), Schwarzenegger provides negligible on-camera and voiceover-narrated commentary for movie clips, old and new talking head interviews, and self-congratulatory pep-talk commentary about his life, whose selectively remembered setbacks all set up him for some future, uncritically vaunted success.

The greatest pleasures in this overproduced miniseries will only please pre-existing fans, who have either already bought what Schwarzenegger’s now reselling—the unstoppable foreigner and people’s hero who overcame great adversity and achieved his wildest dreams—or just want to see the ex-Governator skittishly namedrop career lowlights like “The Villain” and “ Batman and Robin ” before and after new soundbites from Sylvester Stallone and James Cameron that make Schwarzenegger look better.

Schwarzenegger cocks a schticky eyebrow and puffs on evenly-lit cigars while admiring coffee table-sized books filled with high-resolution photos of himself from over the years. He has a PR-friendly anecdote or take for almost every moment in his public life, from the first time he met his ex-wife Maria Shriver (and complimented her ass to her mom Eunice) to his extramarital affair with Mildred Patricia Baena, and their son Joseph, both of whom he acknowledges in “Arnold.”

That stuff’s old news, or old enough that it can be used to embellish the Austrian Oak’s progress narrative, which only makes brief stops at major life events, like the death of his brother Meinhard or the box office failure of “ Last Action Hero ,” to shrug them off with platitudinous grace.

Arnold waves away the boisterous, bullying media persona that he and his people have pumped up for decades now, calling it so much “smäh,” a German word that he translates as “bullshit” (more like a jokey con job). It’s sort of amusing to see Schwarzenegger soften history to his whims, going so far as to sparingly acknowledge the  L.A. Times  and their critical investigative reporting , including some light talking head interviews with reporters Mark Z. Barabak and Carla Hall. He apologizes, again, for having “behaved badly.”

Schwarzenegger also dismisses antisemitism as “a horrible, loser ideology” in a clip from one of his recent social-media fireside chats. That line complements his recent claims about having only admired Hitler’s way with words, not his Nazi politics, which probably plays better if you either don’t remember or care about the part of that 1992 Spy Magazine article on Schwarzenegger where writer Charles Fleming confirms the rumor that Schwarzenegger used to gift people with records of Hitler’s speeches.

Schwarzenegger also says nothing about his abusive father Gustav’s voluntary service with the Nazis, presumably because he flicked away that association in his 2012 memoir, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story . People only bring up the past when they want to smear you, Schwarzenegger suggests in footage from a 2003 press conference. (“You know, when you get into politics, they try to tear down your character, tear down everything you stand for.”) 

Your tolerance for this much smäh will depend on how much you like Schwarzenegger’s shimmering present-tense narrative. (About working on “End of Days” after undergoing heart surgery: “This is a new day. Let’s just move forward.”) Some will find the sheer length of “Arnold” to be punishing enough, while others will puzzle over a clueless narrative full of ersatz values, like when Schwarzenegger repeatedly conflates the worth and the box office performance of his various star vehicles (“ Twins ” was apparently great!), and then piles on pseudo-inspirational lines like, “Nietzsche was right, that that what does not kill you, will make you stronger.” Schwarzenegger deploys that last paraphrase right after he talks about his brother’s death, calling Meinhard “delicate” and speculating that his dead sibling simply couldn’t take their father’s abuse.

There’s almost enough truth in all this smäh to make it seem credible, like when Schwarzenegger remembers wearing down doubters like “Conan the Barbarian” producer Dino De Laurentiis , who at first didn’t like Schwarzenegger’s accent. Never mind that Schwarzenegger insinuates more than he actually says, adds little to what he’s previously said, and often makes weird asides, like how America in the 1960s and 1970s “had problems” like “the Manson murders and protests against the Vietnam War,” which suggests that “Hippies were rising up.”

The relentless march of time might still make you more susceptible to “Arnold” and its slick, consistently unbelievable revisionism. “We are the last dinosaurs,” Stallone says of himself and Schwarzenegger in episode three, which not only explains why Rocky’s in “Arnold,” but probably also why “Arnold” exists. Schwarzenegger continues to control his hyper-mediated destiny, and many people agree that his accomplishments as an American politician more than compensate for his earlier indiscretions. That was then, and this victory lap is for now until the foreseeable future.

On Netflix now. Whole series was screened for review.

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger

Allen Hughes

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Documentary

Follows the multifaceted life and career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, from bodybuilding champion to actor to politician.

Cast & Crew

Arnold Schwarzenegger Self

Allen Hughes Executive Producer

Lesley Chilcott Executive Producer

Peter Nelson Executive Producer

Paul Wachter Executive Producer

Doug Pray Executive Producer

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2023 miniseries 1 season 3 episodes.

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Netflix Tells Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Life Story in 3-Part Docuseries (VIDEO)

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Is Arnold streaming? How to watch the new Schwarzenegger documentary

A new series about the life and times of Arnold Schwarzenegger released this week – here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the documentary, including if it’s streaming.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has had three distinct – and incredibly successful – careers, becoming a champion bodybuilder, before segueing into acting, and then making the move into politics.

Arnold is a new documentary that charts the Austrian Oak’s incredible journey over three action-packed episodes.

So here’s everything you need to know about watching the mini-series, including streaming details.

Is Arnold streaming? How to watch the Schwarzenegger documentary

The Schwarzenegger documentary Arnold is now streaming on Netflix. All three episodes released on June 7, 2023.

The series is directed by Lesley Chilcott (An Inconvenient Truth), and executive produced by Allen Hughes (The Defiant Ones).

The documentary comes hot-on-the-heels of the release of FUBAR, Arnie’s action-comedy series that hit Netflix on May 25, and which we reviewed here .

What is Arnold about? New documentary explained

The three episodes of Arnold split into three distinct parts…

PART 1: ATHLETE

“The first episode of the series focuses on Schwarzenegger’s upbringing in post-war Austria, including his family life and first foray into fitness and competitive bodybuilding,” Netflix explains.

“He discusses the more difficult parts of his childhood, including his father’s role as disciplinarian and his role in encouraging the competitive relationship Schwarzenegger had with his brother.”

This episode also depicts his 1968 victory in the Mr. Universe contest in London, and his first brushes with global fame.

PART 2: ACTOR

“In the second installment of Arnold, the bodybuilder-turned-actor reflects on what it took to make such a major career transition,” states Netflix . “Especially since plenty of Hollywood managers and agents dismissed him due to his size.”

What starts with Pumping Iron progresses to The Terminator franchise, and Arnie’s rise to becoming both the most bankable start in Hollywood, and the highest paid.

PART 3: AMERICAN

As per Netflix : “The third and final episode of Arnold is probably the most complex of the series, and explores how Schwarzenegger’s can’t-quit life philosophy and  box office viability as an actor led to his run for governor of California.”

Episode 3 also focusses on Arnie’s darkest days, including his infidelity, which precipitated his much-publicised divorce from wife Maria Shriver.

Arnold is streaming now, while you can also find FUBAR on Netflix, and read what Schwarzenegger believes to be his most underrated movie here .

Arnold Schwarzenegger

• Born July 30 , 1947 · Thal, Styria, Austria
• Birth name Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger
• Austrian Oak
• Conan the Republican
• Styrian Oak
• The Governator
• The Running Man
• Conan the Governor
• The Machine
• Height 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
• With an almost unpronounceable surname and a thick Austrian accent, who would have ever believed that a brash, quick talking bodybuilder from a small European village would become one of Hollywood's biggest stars, marry into the prestigious Kennedy family, amass a fortune via shrewd investments and one day be the Governor of California!? The amazing story of megastar Arnold Schwarzenegger is a true "rags to riches" tale of a penniless immigrant making it in the land of opportunity, the United States of America. Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger was born July 30, 1947, in the town of Thal, Styria, Austria, to Aurelia Schwarzenegger (born Jadrny) and Gustav Schwarzenegger, the local police chief. From a young age, he took a keen interest in physical fitness and bodybuilding, going on to compete in several minor contests in Europe. However, it was when he emigrated to the United States in 1968 at the tender age of 21 that his star began to rise. Up until the early 1970s, bodybuilding had been viewed as a rather oddball sport, or even a mis-understood "freak show" by the general public, however two entrepreneurial Canadian brothers Ben Weider and Joe Weider set about broadening the appeal of "pumping iron" and getting the sport respect, and what better poster boy could they have to lead the charge, then the incredible "Austrian Oak", Arnold Schwarzenegger. Over roughly the next decade, beginning in 1970, Schwarzenegger dominated the sport of competitive bodybuilding winning five Mr. Universe titles and seven Mr. Olympia titles and, with it, he made himself a major sports icon, he generated a new international audience for bodybuilding, gym memberships worldwide swelled by the tens of thousands and the Weider sports business empire flourished beyond belief and reached out to all corners of the globe. However, Schwarzenegger's horizons were bigger than just the landscape of bodybuilding and he debuted on screen as "Arnold Strong" in the low budget Hercules in New York (1970) , then director Bob Rafelson cast Arnold in Stay Hungry (1976) alongside Jeff Bridges and Sally Field , for which Arnold won a Golden Globe Award for "Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture". The mesmerizing Pumping Iron (1977) covering the 1975 Mr Olympia contest in South Africa has since gone on to become one of the key sports documentaries of the 20th century, plus Arnold landed other acting roles in the comedy The Villain (1979) opposite Kirk Douglas , and he portrayed Mickey Hargitay in the well- received TV movie The Jayne Mansfield Story (1980) . What Arnold really needed was a super hero / warrior style role in a lavish production that utilized his chiseled physique, and gave him room to show off his growing acting talents and quirky humor. Conan the Barbarian (1982) was just that role. Inspired by the Robert E. Howard short stories of the "Hyborean Age" and directed by gung ho director John Milius , and with a largely unknown cast, save Max von Sydow and James Earl Jones , "Conan" was a smash hit worldwide and an inferior, although still enjoyable sequel titled Conan the Destroyer (1984) quickly followed. If "Conan" was the kick start to Arnold's movie career, then his next role was to put the pedal to the floor and accelerate his star status into overdrive. Director James Cameron had until that time only previously directed one earlier feature film titled Piranha II: The Spawning (1982) , which stank of rotten fish from start to finish. However, Cameron had penned a fast paced, science fiction themed film script that called for an actor to play an unstoppable, ruthless predator - The Terminator (1984) . Made on a relatively modest budget, the high voltage action / science fiction thriller The Terminator (1984) was incredibly successful worldwide, and began one of the most profitable film franchises in history. The dead pan phrase "I'll be back" quickly became part of popular culture across the globe. Schwarzenegger was in vogue with action movie fans, and the next few years were to see Arnold reap box office gold in roles portraying tough, no-nonsense individuals who used their fists, guns and witty one-liners to get the job done. The testosterone laden Commando (1985) , Raw Deal (1986) , Predator (1987) , The Running Man (1987) and Red Heat (1988) were all box office hits and Arnold could seemingly could no wrong when it came to picking winning scripts. The tongue-in-cheek comedy Twins (1988) with co-star Danny DeVito was a smash and won Arnold new fans who saw a more comedic side to the muscle- bound actor once described by Australian author / TV host Clive James as "a condom stuffed with walnuts". The spectacular Total Recall (1990) and "feel good" Kindergarten Cop (1990) were both solid box office performers for Arnold, plus he was about to return to familiar territory with director James Cameron in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) . The second time around for the futuristic robot, the production budget had grown from the initial film's $6.5 million to an alleged $100 million for the sequel, and it clearly showed as the stunning sequel bristled with amazing special effects, bone-crunching chases & stunt sequences, plus state of the art computer-generated imagery. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) was arguably the zenith of Arnold's film career to date and he was voted "International Star of the Decade" by the National Association of Theatre Owners. Remarkably, his next film Last Action Hero (1993) brought Arnold back to Earth with a hard thud as the self-satirizing, but confusing plot line of a young boy entering into a mythical Hollywood action film confused movie fans even more and they stayed away in droves making the film an initial financial disaster. Arnold turned back to good friend, director James Cameron and the chemistry was definitely still there as the "James Bond" style spy thriller True Lies (1994) co-starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Tom Arnold was the surprise hit of 1994! Following the broad audience appeal of True Lies (1994) , Schwarzenegger decided to lean towards more family-themed entertainment with Junior (1994) and Jingle All the Way (1996) , but he still found time to satisfy his hard-core fan base with Eraser (1996) , as the chilling "Mr. Freeze" in Batman & Robin (1997) and battling dark forces in the supernatural action of End of Days (1999) . The science fiction / conspiracy tale The 6th Day (2000) played to only mediocre fan interest, and Collateral Damage (2002) had its theatrical release held over for nearly a year after the tragic events of Sept 11th 2001, but it still only received a lukewarm reception. It was time again to resurrect Arnold's most successful franchise and, in 2003, Schwarzenegger pulled on the biker leathers for the third time for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) . Unfortunately, directorial duties passed from James Cameron to Jonathan Mostow and the deletion of the character of "Sarah Connor" aka Linda Hamilton and a change in the actor playing "John Connor" - Nick Stahl took over from Edward Furlong - making the third entry in the "Terminator" series the weakest to date. Schwarzenegger married TV journalist Maria Shriver in April, 1986 and the couple have four children. In October of 2003 Schwarzenegger, running as a Republican, was elected Governor of California in a special recall election of then governor Gray Davis . The "Governator," as Schwarzenegger came to be called, held the office until 2011. Upon leaving the Governor's mansion it was revealed that he had fathered a child with the family's live-in maid and Shriver filed for divorce. Schwarzenegger contributed cameo roles to The Rundown (2003) , Around the World in 80 Days (2004) and The Kid & I (2005) . Recently, he starred in The Expendables 2 (2012) , The Last Stand (2013) , Escape Plan (2013) , The Expendables 3 (2014) , and Terminator Genisys (2015) . - IMDb Mini Biography By: David Montgomery < [email protected]> and [email protected]
• Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American actor, filmmaker, businessman, author, and former politician and professional bodybuilder. He served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 to 2011. Schwarzenegger began lifting weights at the age of 15, and went on to win the Mr. Olympia contest seven times (1970-75, 1980). He remains a prominent presence in bodybuilding and has written many books and articles on the sport. The Arnold Sports Festival, considered the second most important bodybuilding event after Mr. Olympia, is named after him. He is regarded as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, as well as the sport's most charismatic and famous ambassador. Schwarzenegger gained worldwide fame as a Hollywood action film icon. His breakthrough film was the epic Conan the Barbarian (1982) , a box-office hit that resulted in a sequel in 1984. He appeared as the title character in James Cameron's commercially successful sci-fi action film The Terminator (1984) , and played a similar character in the films Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) , Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) , Terminator Genisys (2015) , and Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) . He starred in other successful action films such as Commando (1985) , The Running Man (1987) , Predator (1987) , Total Recall (1990) , True Lies (1994) , Twins (1988) , Kindergarten Cop (1990) , and Junior (1994) . - IMDb Mini Biography By: Tango Papa
• Spouse Maria Shriver (April 26, 1986 - December 28, 2021) (divorced, 4 children)
• Children Katherine Schwarzenegger Christina Schwarzenegger Patrick Schwarzenegger Christopher Schwarzenegger Joseph Baena
• Parents Aurelia Schwarzenegger Gustav Schwarzenegger
• Relatives Meinhard Schwarzenegger (Sibling) Patrick M. Knapp Schwarzenegger (Niece or Nephew) Lyla Maria Schwarzenegger Pratt (Grandchild) Eloise Christina Schwarzenegger Pratt (Grandchild)
• Frequent movie line: "I'll be back."
• Often has his character say comedic one-liners that punctuate the action
• Many of his films have his characters doing feats of strength to match his muscular look, e.g. Commando (1985) where he is first seen in the film carrying a whole tree trunk on his shoulder.
• Frequently has some type of action scene in bathrooms. ( Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) , True Lies (1994) and Kindergarten Cop (1990) .
• Films often have a chase sequence or action scene in a shopping mall. ( Commando (1985) , Kindergarten Cop (1990) , Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) , True Lies (1994) and Jingle All the Way (1996) ).
• He saved a man's life while on vacation in Hawaii in 2004 by swimming into the sea to rescue him from drowning.
• Second actor to be elected Governor of California. The first was Ronald Reagan .
• Refused to take the salary for Governor of California. Uses private jet at his own expense.
• Childhood friends stated that he often said his goals in life were to move to America, become an actor, and marry a Kennedy. He accomplished all three.
• He kept the sword he used in Conan the Barbarian (1982) in the Governor's office when he served as California's governor.
• I was always interested in proportion and perfection. When I was 15 I took off my clothes and looked in the mirror. When I stared at myself naked, I realized that to be perfectly proportioned I would need 20-inch arms to match the rest of me.
• [Interview in "Starlog" magazine in 1991, explaining his reluctance to do sequels to most of his successful films from the '80s] There's so little time to do all the things I want to do that I can't see any reason to get bogged down in sequels.
• Everything I have ever done in my life has always stayed. I've just added to it . . . but I will not change. Because when you are successful and you change, you are an idiot.
• I know that if you leave dishes in the sink, they get sticky and hard to wash the next day.
• I would rather be Governor of California than own Austria.
• The Last Stand (2013) - $5,000,000 +25% of first dollar
• Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) - $29,250,000
• Collateral Damage (2002) - $25,000,000
• The 6th Day (2000) - $25,000,000
• End of Days (1999) - $22,000,000

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What Exactly Does FUBAR Even Mean, Anyway?

Arnold Schwarzenegger's new Netflix series takes its title from a well-known saying.

An eight-episode action comedy from The Sopranos, Law & Order and Prison Break writer Nick Santora, FUBAR follows a similarly high-octane, high-concept premise to one of Schwarzenegger's most famous movies, True Lies . In that film, Schwarzenegger played a spy who kept his job a secret from his wife and daughter, until they became dangerously entangled in his latest mission.

In FUBAR, Schwarzenegger once again plays a spy, only this time he's on the verge of retirement—until he learns that his beloved daughter, played by Top Gun: Maverick 's Monica Barbaro, is also a secret agent who has been hiding her dangerous double life from him. Father and daughter end up forced to work together to thwart an enemy plot while also working through their familial issues, and it's safe to say that along the way things get messy... or rather, FUBAR.

What does FUBAR mean?

FUBAR is an acronym that originated in the military, which stands for a situation that is so damaged or out of control that it is "fucked up beyond all recognition," or alternatively, "fucked up beyond all repair."

According to Techopedia , FUBAR was popularized by American soldiers during the Second World War. In those days, however, it had the slightly more safe-for-work meaning of "fouled up beyond all repair." The increasingly prevalent use of FUBAR was possibly influenced back then by the German term "furchtbar," which translates to "terrible," and is used to describe a general feeling of abject despair or helplessness.

In Netflix's FUBAR, the term is only uttered once—in Season 1's final moment, when [Spoiler!] all the spies have their secret identities compromised, and must go on the run. Luke, then, declares the whole situation to be FUBAR.

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