Arnold Schwarzenegger was so famous among weightlifters that the anecdotes of his strength and hard work were told around the globe. Schwarzenegger, to this day, is considered to be one of the world’s best bodybuilders, and his six Mr. Olympia trophies are a testament to this. However, just being a phenomenal bodybuilder was not enough for him. He wanted more, and he was ready to turn every stone for it.

Schwarzenegger’s steps into the movie industry received no fewer cheers than when he would walk in to lift his weights. He quickly cemented himself as a movie star here to stay with roles such as Terminator and Mr.Freeze. And the actor was almost chosen to play Superman, but Marlon Brando did not let that dream come true.

Why was Marlon Brando against Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming Superman?

Schwarzenegger, with his already sculpted body and chivalrous personality, would have made the perfect Superman. The actor even nailed several audition cuts with ease. However, when Marlon Brando came to know that Arnold Schwarzenegger may end up playing his on-screen son, Clark Kent, in the 1978 movie, he voted against it. According to The Things, Brando cited that people would fail to understand Arnold Schwarzenegger because of his Austrian accent.

The creators had to comply with his demand as the contract gave him “the right to determine which actors would play the leading roles“. This ultimately resulted in Christopher Reeve donning the Superman costume.

It is, however, shocking that Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is lovingly known as the Austrian Oak, was rejected from what could have been the biggest hit of his career because of his accent.

Did the Austrian Oak speak up about the discrimination?

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s successful stint in the movies did not stop with the Superman rejection, and the actor went on to give many more blockbuster hits. However, in an interview with Daily Mail in 2015, Schwarzenegger got candid about the hardships he faced owing to his Austrian accent.

The actor recognized that his Austrian accent is a part of his identity and is also a huge factor in his catchphrases becoming iconic. But he had to practice really hard to tone down his thick accent. Schwarzenegger said, ” I worked on my accent five hours a day, just like I worked on my body five hours a day.” 

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