I was discouraged from pursuing my dreams, says Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger was "discouraged" from pursuing success in Hollywood.

The 77-year-old actor turned his focus towards the American movie business after he retired from bodybuilding in the 1970s - but Schwarzenegger was warned at the time that his ambitions were unrealistic.

Speaking to his son Patrick Schwarzenegger, for Variety's Actors on Actors series, he explained: "When I came to America, Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson were the highest-paid actors, with a million dollars a movie. I said, 'I’ve got to be part of that.' Eventually I made $30 million a movie, and I caught up with those guys.

"Even though everyone says, 'Arnold, it’s never going to happen. Your name — Schnitzel or whatever it is — no one will remember, and you’re too big now.'

"In the ’70s, it’s Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino, Woody Allen — those are the big stars of the day. 'They weigh 140 pounds, and look at you, 250, like a monster.' I was discouraged; everything was impossible.

"But I had a clear vision of myself being up on top. That’s all I cared about. And so I climbed that ladder slowly."

Schwarzenegger - who was born and raised in Austria - considers his starring role in the 'Terminator' franchise to be a turning point in his career.

The movie star reflected: "'Terminator' was a huge breakthrough because I was doing the 'Conan' movies, and this is exactly what my dream was when I was a kid.

"You wanted to get into acting because of acting; I wanted to get into it because I saw Hercules on a big screen. I started training and said to myself, 'I will become Mr. Universe, and I will be getting into movies because of my fame.'

"'Terminator' was the first time that I was doing a film that had nothing to do with the muscles. It was with leather jackets on and being a machine."

Schwarzenegger previously revealed that he's never had a "plan B" in his life.

The actor has always been clear with his ambitions and he doesn't any intention of losing focus.

The former Governor of California said on Instagram: "I hate Plan B. People perform better, in sports and everything else, if they don't have a Plan B. I've never, ever had a Plan B.

"I made a full commitment that I'm gonna go and be a bodybuilding champion, I made a full commitment that I'm gonna be in America, I made a full commitment that I'm gonna get into showbusiness and I'm going to be a leading man, no matter what it takes I will do the work. I wanted to work over and over and over until I got it."