Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Big Show worked together on 1996 film Jingle All The Way.
Arnold Schwarzenegger lived in The Big Show’s head “rent free” for 12 years after a brutal prank.
The Hollywood action hero worked with the WWE legend, whose real name is Paul Wight, on 1996 movie Jingle All The Way, but the seven foot tall wrestler has now revealed Arnie pretended not to know him any time they met for over a decade after the shoot.
Appearing on Chris Van Vliet’s Insight podcast, Big Show recalled: “I felt like Arnold and I bonded on Jingle All The Way. I met a childhood hero, we talked about cigars, we talked about Andre.
“I felt like ‘I know Arnold Schwarzenegger’, I can call Arnold Schwarzenegger at least an acquaintance, and quite possibly a friend.”
However, when they first crossed paths again a couple of years later, the reunion didn’t go as he expected.
He said: “I’m doing something, Arnold’s there. I go up, ‘Hey Arnold!’ He looks at me, ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger, nice to meet you.’
“‘Oh s***, he doesn’t remember me! That sucks, but hey, I get it. He’s Arnold’. Who am I at the time, right?”
By the next time they meet, Big Show was “getting a little bit more famous”, and he had realised his giant stature meant “people don’t forget” meeting him.
However, the same “awkward” exchange happened, and repeated even backstage at WWE’s Monday Night Raw show.
The wrestler remembered thinking: “This is four times you’ve met me. I get if you don’t remember my name, but now you don’t remember me?!”
To add insult to injury, Big Show’s picture was even on the wall of Arnie’s gym, where the same thing had happened.
Big Show admitted: “I was so upset. Arnold was living in my head rent free. ‘Next time he’s around, I’m not gonna say hi to him, I’m not gonna do it!’ “
Later, Big Show was invited to the Arnold Classic to receive an award on behalf of WWE, and he was “ready to go off” if Arnie didn’t acknowledge him that time.
The Terminator star took to the stage to present the award, and started telling stories about his “good friend” Paul, AKA the Big Show, and reflected on their time together on Jingle All The Way.
The wrestler said: “When I go up there to get the award, he looks at me and winks! He ribbed me for 12 years!
“That’s how brilliant Arnold is. What’s the one thing that I know I bring to the table? Not the most handsome, not the most athletic, not the strongest, none of that.
“But you’re gonna remember meeting me. I know that, I have that gift. You don’t forget meeting me. That’s my ticket to the dance.
“He knew that would be my card, and he took that from me for 12 years. For 12 years he lived rent free in my head.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger played brutal prank on WWE legend Big Show
