“Heaven Is a Fantasy”—Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Shocking Thoughts on What Happens After Death
|Arnold Schwarzenegger shared his thoughts about heaven, religion, and what happens after we die during a conversation with his long-time friend and actor Danny DeVito. The two actors, famous for their roles in the 1988 film Twins, talked about their lives, careers, and beliefs in an interview for Interview Magazine.
Schwarzenegger, now 77, is known as a popular actor and a “man of the people” in Hollywood. However, his views on the afterlife may surprise many. During the interview, DeVito asked Schwarzenegger about his thoughts on what happens after death. Schwarzenegger didn’t hold back and gave a blunt answer.

The action star explained, “It reminds me of Howard Stern’s question to me. ‘What happens to us when we die?’ I said, ‘Nothing. You’re six feet under. Anyone that tells you something else is a liar.'” He added that he isn’t an expert on spiritual matters, but he’s certain we won’t see each other again in the same way after death.
Schwarzenegger admitted that talking about death makes him uncomfortable, but he doesn’t believe in heaven. He described it as a “fantasy” and said, “When people talk about, ‘I will see them again in heaven,’ it sounds so good, but the reality is that we won’t see each other again after we’re gone. That’s the sad part.”

The actor, who has lost many friends in the bodybuilding world, shared his personal way of keeping their memory alive. “To me, heaven is where I put a person who I love dearly, who is kind, who is generous, who made a difference in my life and other people’s lives,” he said. “I keep them in a spot in my head, like that front row that you have of all of your friends.”

Schwarzenegger’s view on heaven is surprising, especially since he was raised Catholic. In a 2021 interview, he shared how his Catholic upbringing influenced his life. “I was raised Catholic, attending church regularly and even receiving my education in Catholic schools,” he said. “From those early days, there’s a phrase that still resonates with me today: ‘a servant’s heart,’” which means serving a cause greater than yourself.
He also used his upbringing to call on public servants to act with a “servant’s heart.” “We need public servants that serve something larger than their own power or their own party,” he added. “We need public servants who will serve higher ideals.”