I can't imagine a world where Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't a massive movie star. Thinking about all of his hit movies without him in it can feel especially jarring. Who else can really sell you on Total Recall and Terminator? Where else can you find someone as believable to play Conan the Barbarian? Even his sillier movies like Twins or Batman & Robin have their charms with Arnold's help. Had he not taken the leap of faith from Austria to the United States, we never would've seen his career blossom the same.
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Now, from an illustrious film career to his governing California, Arnold is reflecting on his decision to leave his home country. Recently, he spoke with the Wall Street Journal, where he reflects on his upbringing in Thal, Austria. Schwarzenegger remembers all of the discontentment going on in his stomping grounds. Consequently, he wanted to go somewhere bigger than himself. Then, one moment in school sparks his desire to leave for the American Dream.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls The Official Moment He Wanted to Leave Austria for The U.S.
"I wasn't happy with the life I saw unfolding. I always had a feeling deep down that I needed to look for something else, something outside the box. At age 10, I fell in love with America. That came from watching film rolls in school. The teacher would advance the strips by turning a knob, showing one image at a time. I was blown away," Arnold recalls. "They were about things like the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge and cars with huge fins driving on U.S. highways with six lanes on each side. All of it was over the top."
This left him in absolute shock, that majestic quality to what America had built. As a result, Arnold takes steps to become a star accordingly. With the bodybuilding and then to his acting, his determination saw his dreams come true. "I'd never seen anything like it — the glamour, the lights and the houses. I said to myself, 'What am I doing here?' I wanted to be in America and to become famous and rich," Arnold explains.
