While Arnold Schwarzenegger was still finding his footing in the acting industry, he found a ‘mother figure’ in Lucille Ball, the American actress. Ball, who had a successful acting career for almost five decades, approached Schwarzenegger in 1974 with an acting role.

Soon after Ball saw him on Merv Griffin’s talk show, she reached out to him at Gold’s Gym to offer him a role in Happy Anniversary and Goodbye.

He took her up on her offer. However, Schwarzenegger realized quickly that he didn’t understand how to work with the script. It was then that Ball helped him improvise parts of the script, which ultimately led to him being cast.

"She wanted me so badly on the show that even though I didn't know how to read the lines, because she wanted me to act out what I read, but I did not know that's what you do, right?" Schwarzenegger admitted as reported by Closer Weekly analyst Olivia Bellusci. "She got me in there. She said, 'You're so good improvising. You're hired. We start it next week on Monday with the rehearsals.’"

While Schwarzenegger did not win any awards for Happy Anniversary and Goodbye, the film served as an early milestone in his transition to acting. Two years later, he received a Golden Globe for Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture for Stay Hungry.

While the acting journey was not smooth, Ball has been his mentor. When rehearsals began, Schwarzenegger was in for yet another surprise when he realized he would perform in front of a live audience.

"I'd been in America just a few years," he explains. "So I didn't know what a live audience means and shooting means. That's filming, but they were saying 'shooting in front of a live audience.' It went right over my head.”

Ball helped him regain confidence after the surprise and perform without fear.

When Lucille Ball Became More Than a Mentor to Arnold Schwarzenegger

Although Ball and Schwarzenegger may have shared a typical mentor-mentee relationship at the beginning of his acting career, this quickly transformed into something deeper.

Ball’s constant encouragement, advice, and guidance helped him overcome his fears and become an incredible actor.

"She was like a mother," Schwarzenegger shared. "I remember the following year, I did a movie called Stay Hungry with Jeff Bridges and Sally Field. I won the Golden Globe for Best Acting Debut. She wrote me a long, two-page letter, handwritten, saying, 'Arnold, I'm so proud of you. You are a sweet enough guy, you deserve it.'"

Ball had a major role to play in building his confidence as a performer. She proved that the right guidance and mentorship can leave an everlasting impact.

Ball’s guidance was short-lived for Schwarzenegger, as she died in 1989 at the age of 77.

What do you think of her role in Schwarzenegger's acting career? Share your thoughts.

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar