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Born in Austria, Arnold Schwarzenegger is a prolific businessman who rose to fame through his starring roles in blockbuster movies. During the 60s, the actor began working in bodybuilding, participating in competitions and various events. Having a childhood dream to become an actor, Schwarzenegger pursued the dream during the 70s and starred in iconic roles still synonymous with his name. After becoming a US Citizen in the 80s, he grew inclined towards politics and became the Governor of California in the 2000s. Through his acting career, working in politics, and his business empire, Schwarzenegger has amassed $400 million and is one of the highest-paid actors of all time.
From showing his talent on screen through competitions and movie roles to giving a glimpse into his personal life through his published books and ventures, Arnold Schwarzenegger has only made intelligent investments throughout his career. Let’s take a look at how he started and grew his empire.
Championship Bodybuilder
In 1965, Arnold Schwarzenegger was enlisted into the army by the Austrian Government. While in the military, he began participating in competitions and increasing his muscles. At the age of 20, Schwarzenegger won his first Bodybuilding Championship as Mr. Universe in 1967, as noted by Men’s Health. He was the youngest person in history to win the competition. During the late-60s, he became a star in the community, traveling around Europe to participate in various contests in bodybuilding. He fulfilled his dream of coming to America in 1968, where he also had plans to become a movie star.
Acting Career
His first big break occurred in 1969 when he starred in Hercules In New York, but he became well-known after the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron. His fame and net worth grew over the years as he cashed big paychecks for his roles. For the 1984 blockbuster The Terminator, Schwarzenegger was paid $750,000, which earned $80 million at the box office. For his 1988 comedy Twins with Danny DeVito, the actors took zero percent of salary and exchanged it for 40% of the movie’s rights. The smashing success of the film earned him $35-$40 million. For the next two Terminator sequels, the actor made $12 million and $35 million each, as stated by Celebrity Net Worth.
Filmmaker
Arnold Schwarzenegger entered the world of filmmaking when he started his production company Oak Productions, named after his bodybuilding nickname Austrian Oak. His company has produced several documentaries and movies over the years that have earned him millions. The most notable releases include the documentaries Iron And Beyond and Pumping Iron, the television show Aftermath, and movies such as Last Action Hero, which made $50.02 million at the box office. The company has recently produced an animated superhero show called Superhero Kindergarten.
Commercial Advertisements
The actor is known to endorse very few products that are not under his business ventures, and the Predator video game is one of them. Arnold Schwarzenegger promotes the game based on his character and voices the lead character of Arnie. According to Entertainment Weekly, to promote his 2022 movie Zeus, he teamed up with BMW for the Super Bowl Advertisement, one of America's most-watched.
Business Ventures
Arnold Schwarzenegger first entered the business world in the early 1970s when he and fellow Italian bodybuilder Franco Columbu started a bricklaying business. Schwarzenegger took the million-dollar profits and invested them in real estate. In the 80s, the actor, along with Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone, invested in a restaurant chain called Planet Hollywood, which became one of the most profitable chains in America and had an estimated net worth of $2.6 billion when it went public in 1996. In 2018, he started a nutrition company, Ladder, with basketball player LeBron James. The pair sold the company in 2020 to Openfit, a fitness platform.
An Angel Investor
Investing in start-ups has always been a passion for Arnold Schwarzenegger, and he has mastered the ability to be an angel investor. With four companies under his business portfolio, the actor most recently bought Dropshyp, a start-up that provides small and large investments to suppliers around Africa and Arabia. The star invested $4.5 million in 2019 and is expecting hefty returns.
A Published Author
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been known as a published author since his bodybuilding days. His first book was published in 1977, titled Arnold: The Education Of A Bodybuilder, which became an instant bestseller. It was followed by Encyclopedia Of Modern Bodybuilding, which has never been out of print since its release. Arnold’s Bodybuilding For Men and his autobiography My Unbelievably True Story has released two more books.
His Political Career
After becoming a US Citizen, he was actively connected with the Republican Party. As mentioned by Britannica, Arnold Schwarzenegger became involved in state and national matters, and in 2003, he became the Governor of California during a recall election. He was re-elected in 2006, and he successfully advocated victory for the environmental laws. His second term ended in January 2011.
A savvy businessman who knows where to spend his money, Arnold Schwarzenegger also invested in real estate, buying multiple properties that will increase their worth over time. As he actively continues to pursue his acting career, he will next be seen starring in two movies, Zeus and Kung Fury II: The Movie, which will be released in 2022.
Sources: Men’s Health, Celebrity Net Worth, Entertainment Weekly, Britannica
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