Arnold Schwarzenegger 'doesn't feel comfortable' talking about death, calls heaven a 'fantasy'

'It sounds so good, but the reality is that we won't see each other again after we're gone'
PUBLISHED JUN 6, 2023
Arnold Schwarzenegger talks about heaven and death (Photo by Mario TamaGetty Images)
Arnold Schwarzenegger talks about heaven and death (Photo by Mario TamaGetty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, 75, who is known as a bodybuilder, Conan, and Terminator in the entertainment industry has talked about his struggles in 'Arnold', a new three-part Netflix documentary that releases on Wednesday, June 7.

The docuseries, according to an official summary, charts his journey from the Austrian countryside to the pinnacles of the American dream and features interviews with Schwarzenegger as well as "friends, foes, costars, and observers." 

Recently, the retired professional bodybuilder, 75, shared his views on heaven and death when versatile filmmaker Danny DeVito, 78, posed the question, "What's in the future for us," to the 75-year-old actor and longtime friend during a lengthy interview for Interview Magazine. The actor, 78, claimed in an interview with The Sunday Times that he still hangs out with his close friend DeVito, who was his 'The Twins'. "We tend to see each other at his house rather than go out," he said.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, actor and former governor of California, attends the Bits & Pretzels 2022 at ICM Munich on September 25, 2022 in Munich, Germany.
Arnold Schwarzenegger believes that heaven is a "fantasy." (Photo by Hannes Magerstaedt/Getty Images)

'Schwarzenegger about heaven and death'

Discussing life and death, DeVito asked Schwarzenegger, "It reminds me of Howard Stern's question to me. Tell me, governor, what happens to us when we die?"

The 75-year-old replied, "Nothing. You're 6 feet under. Anyone that tells you something else is a f---ing liar." He continued, "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."

'We won't see each other again after we're gone'

The former bodybuilder said that while he finds talking about death unsettling, he also believes that heaven is a "fantasy." "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 stated.

'Heaven is where I put a person who made a difference in my life'

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks during a keynote address by Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG Oliver Zipse at CES 2023 at The Pearl concert theater at Palms Casino Resort on January 04, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES, the world's largest annual consumer technology trade show, runs from January 5-8 and features about 3,100 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to more than 100,000 attendees.
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger lost 15 friends in the last 20 or so years from the fitness industry(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Schwarzenegger also said he's lost "15 friends in the last 20 or so years" from the fitness industry and that his definition of heaven has changed as a result. "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 stated. "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."

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