6 best photos from new Schwarzenegger coffee-table book, Arnold – tracing the star’s life from Austrian bodybuilding champ to real Hollywood action hero to cigar-smoking governor of California

Sep 21 , 2023

Arnold Schwarzenegger with the Lincoln
Memorial, in a photo taken by Peter Grigsby in 2009, recently published in the two-part photo book. Photos: Handout — Arnold Schwarzenegger with the Lincoln Memorial, in a photo taken by Peter Grigsby in 2009, recently published in the two-part photo book. Photos: Handout

On the heels of Netflix’s 3-part documentary Arnold, Taschen has released a 2 volumes chronicling Schwarzenegger’s evolution from Mr Universe to Hollywood hero – and from Terminator to ‘Governator’

Work by famous photographers Annie Leibovitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Richard Avedon, Herb Ritts and even pop art godfather Andy Warhol all feature in the candid career retrospective

If you watched the Netflix documentary Arnold, you know that there is more to Arnold Schwarzenegger than just muscles and action flicks. The 76-year-old American, born in the little village of Thal outside Graz in Austria, has managed to achieve greatness in three very different fields: bodybuilding, cinema and politics.

On the heels of that three-part documentary, publisher Taschen has released a two-volume collector’s edition photo book with the same title. It spans his entire career, from his early days as Mr Universe and Mr Olympia, to iconic screen roles such as the Terminator, and then his stint as governor of California from 2003 to 2011.

Taschen’s photo anthology, Arnold, is released in two luxe volumes

Filled with photos from the likes of Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Herb Ritts and Andy Warhol, the book also features interviews with the man himself, and friends ranging from director Ivan Reitman to bodybuilder Franco Columbu.

“Why I was different from all the other boys in my town I cannot tell you. I was simply born with the gift of vision,” says the never-modest Schwarzenegger in the book.

So is it worth digging deep for? Take a walk through Arnie’s career via our pick of the book’s best moments …

1. Muscle man (1967)

Schwarzenegger, age 20, at home in Austria in 1967, captured by Albert Busek

2. California dreaming (1980)

Schwarzenegger walking around in Venice, California, captured by Albert Busek in 1980

3. Movie idol (1985)

Schwarzenegger in movie-making, cigar-puffing mode in 1985, by Greg Gorman

4. That noodle ad … (1989)

Schwarzenegger works the kettlebells for Nissin Cup Noodles in 1989, by Tamotsu Fujii

5. Easy glider (1997)

Schwarzenegger on the slopes, by Annie Leibovitz, in 1997

6. Easy rider (1999)

Schwarzenegger on the set of the film End of Days, shot by Sante D’Orazio in 1999