Arnold Schwarzenegger is probably one of the biggest athlete-turned-actor. His bodybuilding fame gave way to an illustrious Hollywood career that shot Schwarzenegger into stardom.

But Arnold never shies from giving credit where it is due. The segue from bodybuilding to the silver screen wasn’t an idea he came up with on his own.

Role models of Arnold Schwarzenegger

Growing up in Austria, Schwarzenegger would often visit the local movie theater and the gym in Graz. It was so that he could see his bodybuilding idols like Reg Park and Steve Reeves, even the swimmer-turned actor Johnny Weissmuller on the big screen. He was so inspired that it became his dream to follow in their footsteps and become a movie star.

Arnold himself said, “I would watch them and say to myself, ‘I would love to be like that. I would love to be on the big screen.’ That was my dream and even after I discovered bodybuilding and it become my passion, I never lost that dream.”

One of the first athletes to score big in Hollywood was Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller. He became Tarzan in a dozen films in the 40s and 50s. Later, he exchanged his loincloths for safari tans as Jungle Jim. Steve Muller became famous for his role as Hercules, a fellow Mr. Universe champion who inspired Arnold to go from bodybuilding to acting.

READ MORE: The Real Reason Behind Arnold Schwarzenegger Losing His First Mr. Universe Competition Revealed

Schwarzenegger’s career as an actor

The first time Schwarzenegger starred on the big screen was to embody the main character of the movie ‘Hercules In New York’ in 1970. While his significant role in ‘Stay Hungry’ (1976) won him an award, it was the documentary ‘Pumping Iron’ that dramatized his sixth Mr. Olympia title in 1975.

However, his first breakthrough film was the sword and sorcery epic ‘Conan the Barbarian’ in 1982, which later had three sequels. Of course, his acting career’s signature role has been in the movie ‘The Terminator’ in 1984. This franchise helped him reach his commercial peak in ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’, the highest-grossing film in 1991.

Schwarzenegger has taken up iconic roles right from the start in Commando and Predator during his earlier years as an actor. As his roles progressed, he experimented with comedies and family-themed entertainment. Although. he kept his core fanbase satiated with action rules like in the End Of Days and Eraser.

He has given us some unforgettable projects during his impressive acting career.

DIVE DEEPER: Star Wars Fame Mark Hamill’s Terrible Advice to Arnold Schwarzenegger Could Have Destroyed His Career