Arnold Schwarzenegger nearly unrecognizable dressed as Santa Claus for his latest role in his first holiday film in nearly three decades.
While seen on set of The Man With The Bag, for the first time, the Austrian actor, 77, hid his handsome face and extraordinary physique under a full white beard, face prosthetics and a baggy Christmas sweater.
For the scene, he was dressed in a white crewneck with a red pickup truck carrying a Christmas tree in the back on it and brown corduroy pants.
Later, he bundled up in a long red coat that seemed perfectly suited for Kris Kringle to wear as he spread holiday cheer all over Manhattan.
Although he’s better known for roles in many action films, like The Terminator, he previously appeared in the 1996 Christmas family comedy as a workaholic father on a mission to get his son a sold-out action figure, which results in him learning the real meaning of Christmas.
The former governor of California, who recently became a grandfather for the third time, joins a long list of actors that have played Jolly Old St. Nicholas, including Ben Affleck, Tim Allen, Billy Bob Thornton and Kurt Russell.
News first broke that the Hollywood legend would be starring in another Christmas comedy back in March.
Adam Shankman is directing the Amazon MGM Studios film from a script by Allan Rice.
The plotline reads: ‘When Santa’s magic bag is stolen, he turns to his naughty list to find Vance, a former thief, to help him get it back.
‘Along with his daughter, Santa, and a group of misfit elves, Vance will have to pull off the greatest heist of his life to save Christmas.’
It will mark the first time that Arnie has appeared in a festive movie since Jingle All The Way in 1996.
And it will be his first film role of any kind since Terminator: Dark Fate in 2019.
He did shoot the flick Kung Fury 2 that year but it has not been released due to legal issues.
And he was seen in his documentary last year for Netflix.
The three-part docuseries followed Schwarzenegger’s multifaceted life and career, from bodybuilding champ to Hollywood icon to politician.
Arnie played the titular character in the Terminator franchise but admitted last year that he was ‘done’ with the movies.
He thinks the future of the series should be passed on to other stars, added the ex of Maria Shriver.
At the time, the actor told The Hollywood Reporter: ‘The franchise is not done. I’m done.
‘I got the message loud and clear that the world wants to move on with a different theme when it comes to ‘The Terminator’. Someone has to come up with a great idea.’
Arnie explained that he will always have happy memories of the franchise that turned him into a bona fide leading man.
He said: ‘The Terminator was largely responsible for my success, so I always would look at it very fondly.’
In addition to his acting career, he is father to five 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren: daughters Katherine, 35, and Christina, 31, and sons Patrick, 31, and Christopher, 27, and Joseph, 27.
He shares all his 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren with Shriver, apart from Joseph, whose mother is Mildred Patricia Baena, his longtime housekeeper.
