Before he was dropping killer one-liners, battling extraterrestrials and becoming the most recognisable action star on the planet, Arnold Schwarzenegger was a bodybuilding obsessive from rural Austria with a dream of becoming the biggest man in the world. Seven Mr. Olympia titles later, he’d done it, and then turned his bulging proportions into a passport out of Europe and into American culture – becoming a movie star, businessman, and politician. What followed was one of the most unlikely acts of self-invention, as Schwarzenegger conquered Hollywood with a run of era-defining blockbusters: Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator, Predator, Total Recall, and True Lies, each helping to build the myth of an indestructible action hero who also had immaculate comedic timing – in classics like Twins and Kindergarten Cop. Then, he inexplicably swapped movie sets for politics, serving as Governor of California from 2003 to 2011.

A new book published by Taschen explores the life and image of a man who spent decades turning himself into a global symbol. Bringing together iconic images from across his career, alongside insight by editor and writer Dian Hanson, Arnold traces Schwarzenegger’s story of relentless reinvention – of muscles, movies, and living it large. Here, Hanson takes us through some of those memorable photos.

On why Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character and image resonates with people…
Dian Hanson: Arnold has that enviable quality called charisma, a light that shines from within [that is] obvious to everyone. His eyes light up as he speaks, twinkling with intelligent mischief. He’s bright and funny, confident, but also compassionate and kind. He is flawlessly masculine, but never needs to prove it. He can carry the biggest gun onscreen, vanquish ten bad guys at once, but also take a truckload of turkeys to LA’s poorest neighbourhood and hand them out every Thanksgiving.

On how his story speaks to the American Dream…
DH: Arnold says he was born in Austria, but made in America. As a boy, his dreams were too big for a small, sleepy village. He looked around and saw men defeated by the war, while he was full of joy and ambition. At age fifteen he learned to visualise his future, to see it so clearly he could will it into reality. He came to the U.S. on Joe Weider’s dime, no place to stay, no job, no money, with only his vision to guide him, and followed it to conquer bodybuilding, Hollywood and ultimately politics.

On why Hollywood and California loved Arnold so much, and vice versa…
DH: Everyone who’s ever worked with Arnold in Hollywood will tell you he is not just a consummate professional, but a pleasure on set. He works hard, but is also playful and supportive of his fellow performers. In his first film, Hercules in New York, he cared for the horses on set. In Kindergarten Cop he stayed with the children during breaks to keep them entertained. For the True Lies posters, he had Jamie Lee Curtis’ name next to his above the title, launching her career. Generosity is not forgotten, even in that cutthroat business. And politics? When it came time to vote for governor, people across party lines said, “We want the Terminator!”

Arnold is out now, published by Taschen.