Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals His Biggest Paycheck Came From "Twins" Movie

Arnold Schwarzenegger's most iconic role came from "The Terminator" and his most bombastic from "Predator," but it was a goofy buddy comedy that quietly became the actor's most financially successful movie. In a candid revelation while appearing on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on June 23, the 77-year-old icon revealed that 1988's "Twins" made him more than any of his dozens of box office successes to the tune of more than $40 million.

The biggest paycheck that I ever made was through 'Twins,'" Schwarzenegger revealed of a movie that is a far cry from his action-star role. "Because we got no money, no salary but with ownership with got a piece of the backend," he said, referring to a creative deal that enabled him and co-star Danny DeVito to get a percentage of the film's grosses rather than a big upfront payday. It was a risk that has paid dividends in spades. "And it was fantastic," Schwarzenegger said, a grin of satisfaction spreading across his face. "We went all the way to the bank with that one."

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A high-concept comedy released in 1988, "Twins" starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito as the unlikely brothers who were separated at birth, Julius and Vincent Benedict. The opposition between uptight, lab-made Julius and scrappy streetwise Vincent made for magical comic alchemy, and it propelled the movie to box-office success. Audiences lapped up the odd-couple dynamic, and its box-office performance stunned even industry insiders.

Though Arnold refused to name an actual number, he did say the sum was higher than what he earned for each of his previous films combined, including megahits such as Total Recall, True Lies, and his career-defining Terminator franchise. The $40 million+ payday demonstrates the value of shrewd business maneuvers in Hollywood, where backend deals can dwarf conventional contracts.

The "Twins" imprint, incidentally, didn't stop there. Schwarzenegger also mentioned that the sequel had been written a few years ago and dropped a hint that they were in talks with a comedy legend about joining the cast. While specifics are being kept secret, what they are getting is no doubt peaking the fans of the original. This revelation marks a surprising new chapter and a testament to why Schwarzenegger, who has had essentially nine lives already, continues to reinvent himself for his most scandalous persona, achieving the greatest return.