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Arnold Schwarzenegger: new host of NBC's 'The Apprentice'

Schwarzenegger succeeds current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as host of the NBC reality competition. The actor's job titles have also included politician and businessman.

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Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Arnold Schwarzenegger attends the Tribeca Film Festival world premiere of 'Maggie' at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York in 2015.

Contestants on the NBC reality competition, “The Apprentice,” have a new boss.

Former politician and movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger will be the new host of the show, following the departure of Donald Trump. “Apprentice” debuted on NBC in 2004 and follows contestants who complete various challenges in an effort to prove their business acumen and receive a yearlong contract to be in charge of one of Trump’s companies. The last several iterations of the show have been known as “The Celebrity Apprentice” and have included appearances by such well-known figures as Kate Gosselin, Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brothers, and Trace Adkins.

In addition to starring in such films as the “Terminator” series and “Total Recall,” Schwarzenegger has invested in various real estate ventures, among other projects, and served as governor of California.

Trump is now, of course, pursuing the Republican nomination for president. After he made remarks about Mexicans that some found distasteful, NBC announced it was “ending its business relationship” with Trump. Trump said soon afterward that he was not working with NBC any longer. 

Trump and Schwarzenegger are currently embracing almost the same career paths, just in the opposite directions – Schwarzenegger became a movie star, served as governor of California from 2003 to 2011, and since ending his time as governor has appeared in films such as the “Expendables” movie series and this summer’s “Terminator Genisys.” After becoming well-known in Hollywood for “Apprentice,” Trump is now moving into politics.

With his many business ventures, Schwarzenegger is a logical choice to serve as host of “The Apprentice.”

Schwarzenegger's multiple job titles aren't unusual because Hollywood and politics crossing over is nothing new – the most famous example is probably former movie actor turned US President Ronald Reagan. But former “Saturday Night Live” writer and performer Al Franken, who is currently serving as a US senator from Minnesota, and actor Clint Eastwood, who served as mayor of Carmel, Calif., are other notable examples. 

In addition, few have jumped from job to job with as much seeming ease as Schwarzenegger, with his successful financial dealings, two terms as governor (though some criticized his financial work during the second term), and time as a Hollywood star. 

When it comes to Hollywood, however, Schwarzenegger may need a restart. “Genisys” didn’t perform well with critics or at the domestic box office this summer, though it did better financially abroad. In addition, his recent films where he was the big headliner, including 2014’s “Sabotage” and 2013’s “The Last Stand,” did not perform well at the box office. 

“Apprentice” could be a promising new project for the actor and continue NBC’s long-running TV franchise.

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