Arnold Schwarzenegger opens up about overcoming his accent, reflects on rivalry with Sylvester Stallone
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the iconic action star, shared some revealing insights on a recent episode of «The Graham Norton Show.» He discussed his efforts to shed his thick Austrian accent early in his career and how it unexpectedly became an asset in Hollywood.
Reflecting on his journey in the entertainment industry, Schwarzenegger disclosed, «I had an English coach and an acting coach and a speech coach and an accent-removal coach, who has passed away since then, but I should have otherwise gotten my money back.» He recalled the advice he received from his accent-removal coach, saying, «I remember he'd say, 'You know you always say s-ree. It's three, with a T-H.' So he had me say, 'Three thousand three hundred and thirty-three and one-third,' with the T-H and not with the S.»
Schwarzenegger's determination to improve his accent was a part of his early efforts to establish himself in the industry.
When congratulated by Norton on his improved pronunciation of «three,» Schwarzenegger humorously responded, «After 5,000 years, right?»
What's particularly interesting is how his accent, initially seen as an obstacle, turned into an asset. Schwarzenegger explained that influential figures in Hollywood had reservations about his accent, but it eventually became a defining feature of his career.
He recalled, «When I did 'Terminator,' Jim Cameron said, 'What made Terminator work and why it became successful is because Schwarzenegger talks like a machine.'»
During the course of the interview, Schwarzenegger also spoke about his rivalry with Sylvester Stallone, another Hollywood stalwart. The rivalry began as the two emerged as the icons of the action genre, at the same time.
