Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-born bodybuilder, businessman, and actor, and he was the 38th governor of California. He is widely considered one of the best bodybuilders of all time and is a central figure in the sport’s history. However, he is perhaps best known for his action movie roles in blockbuster hits such as Conan the Barbarian (1982) and The Terminator (1984). After a successful career as an action star, he successfully transitioned into comedic roles, starring in films like Kindergarten Cop (1990) and Junior (1994). He has twice been listed among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and has published a number of other books, including bodybuilding and fitness guides and his autobiography, Total Recall, which was published in 2012.

Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, Austria, in 1947, in the aftermath of World War II. He had a strict upbringing—his father, the local chief of police, was often harsh and abusive—and he had early aspirations to leave his home and make a life for himself in America, inspired by American pop culture, films, and images of bodybuilding figures such as Reg Park. This early vision set his success in motion, and he went on to dominate the sport of bodybuilding, winning multiple Mr.