Perhaps you've heard of the huge action superstar of the 1980s and 90s, Arnold Schwarzenegger, famous for movies like The Terminator. Even now, at the age of 76, Schwarzenegger has never given up on his passion for bodybuilding and physical fitness.
As a child born in 1947 in Austria, Schwarzenegger had watched movies about Hercules(赫拉克勒斯,大力神) and dreamed of being as big as the heroes he saw on the screen. Schwarzenegger began working on his dream when he was a teenager, exercising and weightlifting nonstop. As a young man he would take part in the biggest bodybuilding competitions in the world, winning the titles of Mr Universe five times and Mr Olympia seven times.
At the height of his bodybuilding, Schwarzenegger decided to try and break into Hollywood. He moved to the US with little money, knowing hardly any English. But he worked tirelessly on learning the language and acting.
He wasn't welcomed into Hollywood with open arms, being told his ac cent wouldn't work, his name was too long and that his body was too big. "…Everyone said…‘You will never become a leading man',"Schwarzenegger said in an interview with Virgin Radio UK.
But Schwarzenegger wasn't going to be held back."I didn't listen to the naysayers,"said Schwarzenegger,"…like Mandela always said, everything is impossible until someone does it. And that's the way I feel."
Schwarzenegger went on to become the Governor(州长) of California in 2003 and ran for two terms before returning to the world of acting. He continues to act, runs exercise programs and has also written a number of books on personal fitness and achieving success.
