Bodybuilder, actor, businessman and politician, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life was filled with glories, mistakes and scandals. With his career turned into a Netflix documentary series, the former California governor solidifies his career and reaches a different audience.
Over the course of three episodes, the star behind such well-known films as ‘Terminator 2’, ‘Conan the Barbarian’ and ‘The Predator’ details his biography.
Below, check out some confidences made by the artist:
1. Troubled family relationship
During the first episode, Arnold recalls part of his youth in Austria and talks about his relationship with his family during that time.
The former California governor details his troubled childhood with his brother, Meinhard, and parents, Gustav and Aurelia.
The star says the patriarch had “a schizophrenic demeanor,” with a personality that eventually changed from kind to violent. He would sometimes come home drunk and get aggressive with the family.
Meinhard, whom Arnold calls a delicate person, died in 1971 after crashing his car while driving under the influence of alcohol. The actor believes his brother started drinking because of his brutal upbringing.
2. Use of steroids
In the series, Arnold Schwarzenegger recounts his beginnings in bodybuilding competitions and his move to the United States between 1967 and 1968.
Among the information revealed, the star says she’s not a “diet fanatic.” She says, for example, that Frank Zane and Franco Columbo, her career and training partners, split their vitamins and that the three experimented with hormones.
“All the best bodybuilders take steroids,” Arnold declares in an old clip shown in the documentary.
However, he says “maybe five percent” of his muscle gains came from steroids and points out that he had medical supervision throughout the process.
3. Rivalry between Schwarzenegger and Stallone
In the documentary, Arnold Schwarzenegger reflects on his acting career and the heyday of action films. In the 1980s, the former professional bodybuilder starred in blockbusters, such as ‘The Terminator’ and ‘Command to Kill.’
At the time, there was a rivalry between him and Sylvester Stallone. With each new work released with the stars, the antagonism has grown more intense. “I always need an enemy,” jokes Schwarzenegger in the second episode.
During that decade, the contestant also starred in several popular films, such as the sequels to the films ˜Rocky’ and ˜Rambo’.
“The ’80s were an interesting time because the ‘action guy’ hadn’t been defined yet,” Stallone explains in the documentary.
However, for Schwarzenegger, the rival was ahead of him in that period. “Every time he released a movie, like ‘Rambo 2,’ I had to find a way to top it,” he says.
Stallone says the two were “very antagonistic” and that they couldn’t bear to be in the same place. “He wanted to be number one,” says the “Cobra” actor of his opponent. “Unfortunately, he succeeded,” he concludes.
4. Sexual harassment cases
During the last stretch of the California gubernatorial election in 2003, a Los Angeles Times report published cases of women alleging sexual harassment committed by the star over the years.
At the time, Schwarzenegger downplayed the allegations. He says in a television interview from that period that he “misbehaved a few times”.
“Today I can look back and say it didn’t matter what time it was. Whether it was the “Muscle Beach” days, or 40 years ago, or today. It was wrong. He sucked. He forgets the apologies, he was wrong,” the actor says in the documentary series.
5. Child out of wedlock
During a marriage counseling session with his wife, Maria Shriver, Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed that he was the father of Joseph Baena, the son of the housekeeper who worked at the couple’s residence.
“Yes, Mary. Joseph is my son,” the star recalls of the moment she confessed to the extramarital affair that would have ended her 25-year marriage.
The boy was the result of an affair between the actor and Mildred Patricia Baena in 1996. “I didn’t know it at first,” Schwarzenegger says in the documentary. “I began to suspect. The older he got, the clearer it became to me. And the question was ‘How can I not let it out?’, ‘How can I keep it a secret?’” he continues.
“I think I caused my family a lot of grief because of that mistake. Everyone suffered because of that,” the actor says.
Despite the turmoil, the documentary shows the star has developed a loving relationship with her son. “I watched Joseph grow into an amazing human being and an amazing man. He makes me proud and I’m so happy for him,” Schwarzenegger says.
“What I did was wrong, but I don’t want Joseph to feel like he’s not welcome in the world, because he is very welcome in this world and I love him. He has grown into an extraordinary boy,” he declares.
The post Arnold Schwarzenegger: 5 revelations in the Netflix documentary series first appeared on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
