Arnold Schwarzenegger: At 15 he “dragged stones” on the building

He made a career as an actor, bodybuilder and politician: Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger (78) had his first jobs on construction sites. “Handicraft was my job with which I made money,” reveals the action icon. The 78-year-old now returns to these roots. Together with his colleague and good friend Ralf Moeller (66), he advertises for the DIY brand brand Parkside. Moeller has been in use for the Lidl and Kaufland brand for two years. Even Schwarzeneggers donkey Lulu and Dwarfpony Whiskey can be seen in the humorous clip.

“When I was young, I worked on the building to earn some money,” says Schwarzenegger in the interview. “At 15 I worked on construction sites in Austria, mixed cement and towed stones.” During this time he learned what hard work really means. “Be early on the construction site every day, in any weather, the skin cracked from cement and cold.”

Even today, Schwarzenegger still lends a hand in smaller DIY projects. “The craft taught me discipline and precision – skills that helped me in every area of ​​my life.”

He renovated his first house in Los Angeles by hand. It was “a completely dilapidated” building. “I had no money for craftsmen, so I put on hand myself: pour concrete, tear down walls, lay power lines.” His most important tool was “a chunky impact drill”, “I had it in my hand more often than my smartphone today”.

He learned one thing in the renovation: planning is everything. “At that time I had to tear down entire walls because I did not take the time to mark. Since then, the following applies to me: measurement, pencil and patience to use both for the start.”

Also on filming, Schwarzenegger, who became a Hollywood star with “Terminator” in the mid -1980s, demonstrated his manual talent. Something always had to be repaired or adapted to the set. “Often under time pressure and with little material. At such moments, I was able to bring in my craftsmanship – be it when installing, adjusting or improvising. It didn’t have to be perfect, but it had to hold up to the next take,” laughs the Austrian.

The action star also has tips for his young fans. “Good home improvement work requires three things: the right tool, good planning and the ability to learn from mistakes.”