Tuesday, May 24, 2011
AP
Photo
In this Jan. 22, 2011 file photo, actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, right, and his wife, Maria Shriver, look on during the funeral service of Maria's father, Sargent Shriver, at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic church in Potomac, Md. The power-couple's marriage has collapsed amid revelations that Schwarzenegger fathered a child with their live-in housekeeper 14 years ago but hid the truth from his wife.
AP Movie Writer
LOS ANGELES
For 35 years, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been carefully crafting his public image, from Austrian bodybuilder and international action star to family man and Republican politician.
Now, with his split from Maria Shriver and revelations that he fathered a child with a member of his housekeeping staff, where does Schwarzenegger go from here? Can he have a future either in politics or film, and how does he once again reshape his image, especially in the eyes of female fans?
“His biggest problem as an action star has nothing to do with being an adulterer. It has to do with being 63 years old and physically wrecked — unless they’re going to make ‘Terminator 6: The Golden Years,”’ said David Leibowitz, a Phoenix-based public relations and crisis communications consultant. “The love child is almost the least of his worries.”
For decades, though, Schwarzenegger was the safest of box-office bets, with his bulging, muscular physique and his quippy, punny one-liners. The “Terminator” movies alone have made more than $1 billion worldwide — most of that outside the United States.
“For me, he has never been a serious action star, but rather a sort of parody of himself,” said Ali Arikan, chief film critic for the Turkish website Dipnot.tv and Roger Ebert contributor. “He had that wink in his eye even in earlier, more somber stuff like ‘Conan the Barbarian.’ In fact, when he tried to be more serious, as with 1999’s turgid ‘End of Days,’ it was risible: nothing more hilarious than seeing Arnie ‘act!’ So, he’s basically been this goofy clown, shrewd and with great intelligence about his career, but a clown nonetheless.”
Domestically, as Schwarz-enegger’s movie glory days began waning, he revamped his image again and became the improbable governor of California in a 2003 recall election.
Having a Kennedy heiress by his side certainly didn’t hurt, despite the couple’s disparate political leanings and even through claims that Schwarzenegger had groped other women.
Schwarzenegger often said being governor was the best job in the world, one he would have enjoyed holding longer had there not been term limits.
But he was elected on a promise to fix California’s chronic budget woes, and despite his best efforts, he soon gave in to the gimmickry and maneuvering that have been hallmarks of budget deal-making in Sacramento. He was seen as largely failing to accomplish his mandate, and his approval rating fell to 25 percent as he left office in 2010.
Lately, he’s been jet-setting with the likes of “Terminator” director James Cameron and announcing he’s ready to re-launch his acting career. But following his separation from Shriver after 25 years of marriage and the damaging baby revelations, he says he’s putting those plans on hold.
As the owner of the Carolina Cinemas chain of movie theaters, Bill Banowsky sees Schwarzenegger making a comeback eventually — but only as an action star.
“I’d feel great about it if he’s playing a ‘Terminator’ role, if he’s playing a role in a big action movie. I think he’s going to do very well,” said Banowsky. And Arikan of the Turkish website suspects Schwarzenegger still has a future as a global star, despite his age.
“He could churn out action films every few years and expect the equivalent numbers that he got during the latter part of his career, like ‘The 6th Day’ or ‘Eraser.’ But he could never again soar the heights he once did with ‘T2’ or ‘True Lies,’ either nationally or internationally.”