Arnold Schwarzenegger Celebrates 40th Anniversary As American Citizen With Touching Video

Arnold Schwarzenegger is celebrating four decades as an American citizen with a heartfelt Instagram video.

The former California governor, originally from Austria, commemorated his journey with images from his citizenship oath in 1983 and a clip from his 2004 speech at the Republican National Convention, highlighting America's immigrant dream. He passionately expressed gratitude, reflecting on his boyhood daydreams of coming to the U.S.

Schwarzenegger's video included a touching message to fellow immigrants, welcoming them and encouraging their dreams. He credited America for his career and success, underscoring the significance of becoming a citizen.

Keep on reading to learn more.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is celebrating his 40th anniversary as an American citizen. The former California governor, originally from Austria, shared a video montage on his Instagram commemorating his journey from Austria to the U.S.

Schwarzenegger captioned the post, "On this day 40 years ago, I became an American citizen. It is one of the proudest days of my life. I owe everything to America. Born in Austria, Made in America!"

He included images of his citizenship oath in 1983 and an excerpt from his 2004 speech at the Republican National Convention, where he emphasized the U.S. as a land of immigrants seeking a better life.

The actor expressed gratitude for his achievements, passionately stating in the footage, "My fellow Americans, this is an amazing moment for me. To think a once scrawny boy from Austria could grow up to become governor of the state of California; that is an immigrant's dream."

He continued, "In school, when the teacher would talk about America, I would daydream about coming here. I would daydream about living here."

The clip received applause from the audience at Madison Square Garden.

Schwarzenegger's video montage included a photo of him taking the citizenship oath and proudly displaying the document. He recalled his immense pride on that day, saying, "As long as I live I will never forget the day when I raised my hand for the oath of citizenship."

He continued, "You know how proud I was? I was so proud that I walked around with the American flag wrapped around my shoulder all day long."

The movie star expressed his awe about America's vastness and opportunities. "Everything about America seemed so big to me, so open, so possible," he marveled at the time.

He reminisced about his arrival in 1968, adding, "I finally arrived here in 1968; what a special day it was. I remembered I arrived here with empty pockets but full of dreams, full of determination, and full of desire."

Schwarzenegger also extended a heartfelt message to fellow immigrants, emphasizing their welcome in the United States and the encouragement of their dreams. He stated, "To my fellow immigrants listening tonight, I want you to know how welcome you are. We encourage your dreams. We believe in your future."

The "Commando" actor credited America for everything he had achieved, including his career, success, and family. 

Schwarzenegger's journey from Austria to the U.S. saw him rise to prominence first as a bodybuilder. He achieved global recognition by winning the Mr. Olympia competition in 1970, marking the start of a six-year winning streak.

The father of five transitioned to Hollywood and solidified his status as an A-list action hero, starring in iconic films like "The Terminator," "Predator," "Total Recall," and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," among others. Besides his acting career, he served as California's 38th governor from 2003 to 2011 after a special recall election.

Adding to his vast portfolio, Schwarzenegger recently became a life coach and shared valuable insights into the principles that have guided him towards happiness and success in his book "Be Useful: Seven Tools For Life" published by Penguin.

"These tools have always worked. They will always work," the actor explained. "I think of them like elements of a blueprint or a road map to a happy, successful, useful life — whatever that means for you."

The book's title takes inspiration from his late father, Gustav, who imparted the enduring wisdom, "Be useful, Arnold." Schwarzenegger views this advice as paramount, writing, "It is the best piece of advice my father gave me, advice that stuck in my brain and never left." He added, per NYP, "I wrote this book to honor those words and pay forward his advice."