Schwarzenegger Admits to Having Dyslexia: "I Was Beaten with a Ruler in School"
American actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has revealed that he suffers from dyslexia.
He shared this revelation on Facebook while announcing the release of his audiobook, "Be Useful".
"I could tell you I'm fantastic at everything, but that would be a lie. I just finished recording my audiobook 'Be Useful', which will be out on October 10th. I could say it was a fantastic experience to sit down and read my own words, but the truth is, I was terrified. I'm sharing this with you to be honest with all of you and give a voice to those who are afraid to speak up," the actor shared with his fans.
The issue lies in the fact that Schwarzenegger struggles with reading, and this difficulty began during his school years.
"In the 1950s in Austria, learning disabilities weren't discussed, so often when I was asked to read aloud in class, it was a catastrophe, and I was beaten with a ruler. But now I know that I have dyslexia," he confessed.
In preparation for his role in the upcoming movie "Steel", Arnold has spent months repeatedly reading the script to memorize every line. This is due to his need for time and repetition to comprehend words.
Presently, the Hollywood star is working on his own audiobook set to release on October 10th. To accomplish this task, Schwarzenegger has worked diligently on himself.
During film preparation, he is required to read the script multiple times until he memorizes each line. "It takes me time and repetition to grasp the words," he wrote. "I was told authors go into studios and record their books in 2-3 days. I brought the recording equipment home and said I would do 20-30 pages a day. This way I could call the director and producer twice a day for shorter sessions and practice in between."
"I allowed myself to complain, but then forced myself to move forward because denial won't lead to success. I've read the text so many times, I can't even count. I've broken it down into smaller pieces, knowing small victories turn into big ones, or in my case, a whole book," he shared.
As a reminder, Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor, producer, businessman, and politician.
Success came to him after "Conan the Barbarian", and following films like "The Terminator", "Commando", "Total Recall", and "Terminator 2", Schwarzenegger became a beloved actor among audiences. His fee for "Terminator 3" reached $35 million, setting a record in the film industry.
After the third "Terminator", the 56-year-old Arnold took a break from the film industry. In 2003, he won the gubernatorial election in California, which made his participation in any filming impossible. He returned to acting after 2011 and participated in high-budget action films like "Expendables 2".
Dyslexia, or reading disorder, is a condition characterized by difficulties in reading despite normal intelligence and in the absence of hearing or vision problems. People with dyslexia often have trouble with rapid reading, writing words, mentally pronouncing words, pronouncing words aloud while reading, and understanding what they've read. These difficulties are often first noticed in school. Dyslexia often extends to difficulties with numbers, writing, as well as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and developmental language disorder. Dyslexia has a significant genetic component.
Earlier, it was reported that the health condition of another Hollywood star, Bruce Willis, is deteriorating rapidly. Doctors have given him a new diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. Complicating the situation is the fact that there are currently no treatment options for this condition.