Arnold Schwarzenegger is widely known for the work he's done in his best movies like The Terminator, Total Recall and more. Yet an important real-life role he once held was that of California's governor from 2003-2011. Schwarzenegger used to have a heavy acting schedule, though it would seem that his political obligations were also strenuous. The beloved actor recently spoke about missing out on time with his children when he was still a gubernatorial leader, and it all honestly sounds hard.
During Arnold Schwarzengegger’s time as governor, he accomplished a lot for the state of California. He signed landmark legislation in 2006 to reduce its greenlight gas emissions, lowered the state’s unemployment rate by increasing minimum wage and rebuilt the workers’ compensation system. But as he told ET, his responsibilities took a bit of a toll on his domestic life. the 76-year-old star explained how his kids felt about that and how his former spouse, Maria Shriver factored in:
I had to rely on my wife. But then when I came home, or I was governor for instance, and I traveled all over the state of California, I came home, the kids were crying, 'Daddy, where were you when I had my recital?' 'Where were you when I needed you for my football game?' and all those kinds of things.
I imagine one of the biggest struggles any parent can face is being pulled in two different directions. You know you have to fulfill your duty as a professional, but you also have to juggle that with being a parent to your little ones. It's said to think that the kids were even crying when certain things came up. Well, his five children are no longer kids anymore and all seem to love their dad. For instance, the Schwarzenegger siblings took the time to make a tribute to their father for his 74th birthday back in 2021.
One would think that the situation wasn't all that easy for the kids at the time. However, it's likely that they can understand today and, from what we've seen, they don't hold any ill will towards their proud papa for committing to his job.
These days, Arnold Schwarzenegger is showing off his paternal side in his first big TV show, which is called FUBAR and is heading to Netflix. This spy-adventure TV series is about a father and daughter, who both learn that the other is a CIA operative. The trailer shows Schwarzenegger taking people out, though there are also plenty of comedic elements within the show. He worked long days on the show and, as a result, family jokingly gave him an “old man” complex. They feared that the 75-year-old star couldn’t handle it. But as Schwarzenegger explained, he never plans on retiring and is always ready to get to work.
Aside from the action series, fans will also be able to get more insight into Arnold Schwarzenegger as an actor and a person through Arnold, which -- like FUBAR -- will be streamable with a Netflix subscription. The three-part documentary series covers many notable moments in the Austrian actor’s life. That includes his bodybuilding days time as governor, and his cheating scandal, which led to his divorce from Maria Shriver. The production gives the iconic actor an opportunity to share his truth and get candid about aspects of his journey.
It's refreshing to see the Hollywood titan get honest about certain parts of his life. People can certainly learn from their experiences and, based on his current relationships with his kids, he's since learned a lot about being a father who's present.
