Will Arnold Schwarzenegger Be Able To Revive His Acting Career? - Forbes (blog)

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It's official: Arnold Schwarzenegger lawyer Patrick Knapp has announced that "we asked Creative Artists Agency to inform all his motion picture projects currently underway or being negotiated to stop planning until further notice. Governor Schwarzenegger is focusing on personal matters and is not willing to commit to any production schedules or timelines… We will resume discussions [on the Terminator franchise] when Governor Schwarzenegger decides.

Is Schwarzenegger's acting comeback d.o.a., now that the world knows Schwarzenegger fathered a love child and kept it a secret from (likely-to-soon-be-ex-) wife Maria Shriver?

Of course not.

A little-known fact about Schwarzenegger is that, before coming to the U.S., he studied marketing for two years at the University of Munich. His track record shows him to be an expert at putting this academic training to good use when it comes to his career.

As for the matter at hand, two factors are likely on his mind:

1. Yes, the current scandal will leave a lasting stain on his reputation, and no doubt it raises questions about his integrity. But his missteps were moral, not legal in nature. Keep in mind this story is playing out at the same time as Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the IMF, is indicted for rape.
2. He's planning to revive a career not in politics, but in Hollywood – for better or worse one of the most forgiving places on the planet. Where people are given a second, (or third, or fourth) chance after heavy drug use, being in and out of jail, racist remarks, sex tapes… the list goes on and on. In this context, does anyone think adultery and a love child will stand in the way of a comeback?

That said, Schwarzenegger is making the right decision to press the pause button on his comeback right now. The adage "there is no such thing as bad publicity might" apply to Hollywood up-and-comers, and to small fry. But a star of Schwarzenegger's caliber needs to think like a big company – which in this case means: if you're under a cloud, delay a big product launch if at all possible.

For the moment it might be "hasta la vista, baby." But ultimately – any money we'll hear Arnold say: "I'll be back."

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