LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Arnold Schwarzenegger, undeniably one of the most prominent celebrities in Hollywood today has dabbled in acting, politics and a whole gamut of other fields. The bodybuilding legend gained fame as he went but infamy wasn’t far behind. During his stint as a politician when Schwarzenegger was preparing to take on the role of the California governor in 2003, his reputation took a hit.
His campaign as the leading candidate was marred by a disturbing scandal of a sexual nature. Dubbed as "Gropegate," the incident involved the actor being accused of engaging in inappropriate behavior towards women. Now, as fans eagerly await Schwarzenegger's return to the action genre with his upcoming comedic caper, 'FUBAR', let’s take a look at how 'The Terminator' actor extricated himself from 'Gropegate' and what were its repercussions.
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What was the 'Gropegate' scandal?
A series of interviews published in the Los Angeles Times brought forth accusations against Schwarzenegger, alleging that he had inappropriately touched women by grabbing their breasts without their consent. Additional accounts included a woman claiming that the star had touched her inappropriately under her skirt, while another reported being asked to sit on his lap and subjected to questioning about her sexual preferences. In yet another incident, a woman was caught off guard when Schwarzenegger asked her to remove her bathing suit while they were in an elevator.
The most alarming aspect of these accusations is that they reportedly spanned over a period of 25 years, from 1975 to 2000. Despite the gravity of these allegations, Arnold Schwarzenegger managed to win the California Governor election. However, the actor faced a significant period in which he was on the verge of being canceled by both Hollywood and his fans as a consequence of his actions.
'All these women want to have an apology?'
In an attempt to defend himself against the accusations, Schwarzenegger made a public apology via ABC News. "Sorry, I am sorry about it. Let me tell you something. No one ever came to me in my life and said to me when I did anything. 'I don’t want you to do that, and you went over the line.' Now all of the sudden isn’t it odd that three days and four days before the campaign, all of sudden all these women want to have an apology? Isn’t it odd?"
However, his apology carried implications that added complexity to the situation. In the wake of his public statement, additional women stepped forward to share their disturbing experiences. Among them was British TV host Anna Richardson, who filed a lawsuit against the actor for indecent behavior during the promotion of his film 'The Sixth Day'. The lawsuit was settled in 2006, with few details made public, as Richardson wished to avoid further damage to her reputation.
Three more women came forward with their stories. One woman claimed that Schwarzenegger had undressed in front of her during the filming of 'Twins.' Another woman, also on the same set, reported that he had forcefully kissed her by squeezing her between himself and another co-worker, forcefully inserting his tongue into her mouth. A third woman stated that he groped her from behind in a stairwell.
Furthermore, several other women shared their experiences of harassment while filming 'Terminator 2.' These accounts shed further light on the disturbing incidents involving Schwarzenegger. Despite these allegations, Schwarzenegger continued his career and eventually became Governor. However, these incidents ultimately contributed to the breakdown of his marriage to Maria Shriver in 2021.
