Arnold Schwarzenegger, the 77-year-old legend behind The Terminator and Commando, surprised fans by revealing his biggest Hollywood payday came from a 1988 comedy, not one of his action hits. Starring alongside Danny DeVito in Twins, a movie about mismatched brothers reunited after birth, Schwarzenegger landed a massive financial win with a clever contract.
During a chat on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Schwarzenegger shared that he and DeVito skipped upfront salaries to keep Twins’ budget at $16.5 million. Instead, they negotiated a 40 percent share of the movie’s profits, betting it would be a hit. Their risk paid off when the film grossed over $216 million globally, far surpassing expectations. This deal likely earned them over $80 million combined.
When Cohen asked if his share was over $40 million, Schwarzenegger laughed, saying it was “more than any movie I ever made.” In a Variety interview with his son Patrick, he explained how director Ivan Reitman and DeVito pushed for him in a comedy, despite studios wanting him to stick to action roles for bigger profits. “They said, ‘The more people he kills, the more we make,’” Schwarzenegger recalled.
By taking no salary and banking on Twins’ success, the trio struck gold. The film’s massive earnings proved their instincts right, making it Schwarzenegger’s most lucrative project. This story shows how a bold move and a lighthearted comedy turned into a career-defining paycheck for the action star, proving his versatility paid off in a big way.
