Arnold Schwarzenegger shared his candid thoughts on heaven, religion, and the afterlife during a one-on-one conversation with long-time friend and actor Danny DeVito.
The iconic duo, who famously starred together in the 1988 comedy Twins, opened up about their lives, careers, and beliefs during an interview for Interview Magazine.
Schwarzenegger, now 77, is often viewed as “a man of the people” and is known for being one of the most popular actors in Hollywood history. However, the Austrian Oak’s opinion on the afterlife is bound to leave people divided.
During their insightful chat, DeVito – known for his roles in Matilda and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia – asked Schwarzenegger about the future. The Terminator himself didn’t mince words, offering his perspective on what happens after we die.
The Terminator star has shared his feelings on an afterlife. Credit: Jeff Spicer / Stringer / Getty
“It reminds me of Howard Stern’s question to me. ‘Tell me, governor, what happens to us when we die?’ I said, ‘Nothing. You’re six feet under. Anyone that tells you something else is a f***ing liar,'” Schwarzenegger candidly responded.
“We don’t know what happens with the soul and all this spiritual stuff that I’m not an expert in, but I know that the body as we see each other now, we will never see each other again like that.”
The action legend admitted that discussing death is uncomfortable, but he expressed skepticism about the concept of heaven, calling it a “fantasy”.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has shared his thoughts on the afterlife. Credit: Heinz-Peter Bader / Getty
“When people talk about, ‘I will see them again in heaven,’ it sounds so good, but the reality is that we won’t see each other again after we’re gone. That’s the sad part. I know people feel comfortable with death, but I don’t,” he shared.
Schwarzenegger, who has experienced the loss of numerous friends within the bodybuilding industry over the years, has developed his own unique perspective on heaven. “To me, heaven is where I put a person who I love dearly, who is kind, who is generous, who made a difference in my life and other people’s lives,” he explained.
“I keep them in a spot in my head, like that front row that you have of all of your friends. And you always have a good feeling when you think of them.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger believes heaven is a “fantasy”. Credit: Dominik Bindl / Getty
Arnie’s comments sparked division on social media, with one person tweeting: “You can believe what you want, but it’s never smart to believe something without any form of evidence. If someone can prove Arnold wrong, I would be very interested. Quoting Bible verses will not be accepted as proof.”
Another X user added: “I believe many like Arnold are ‘uncomfortable about death;’ because there is an uncertainty that he could be wrong. That feeling of being wrong brings fear, and the thought brings torment.”
However, not everybody agreed, with one X user writing: “I’m curious, how in the world does he know that for sure?”
“I used to respect Arnold but now I see him as just another liberal loving atheist clown,” another wrote.
The Terminator star’s admission about death comes as quite a surprise considering he’s previously spoken out about his Catholic upbringing.
During a 2021 interview, Schwarzenegger shared insights into his upbringing within the Catholic Church.
“I was raised Catholic, attending church regularly and even receiving my education in Catholic schools. I delved into the Bible and absorbed the teachings of my catechisms,” the actor expressed in a YouTube video.
“From those early days, there’s a phrase that still resonates with me today: ‘a servant’s heart.’ It signifies the act of serving a cause greater than oneself.”
Arnie made those comments while calling on elected public servants to live up to the religious teachings he had received in his youth, adding: “What we need right now from our elected representatives is a public servant’s heart.
“We need public servants that serve something larger than their own power or their own party. We need public servants who will serve higher ideals, the ideals in which this country was founded, the ideals that other countries look up to.”
