Arnold Schwarzenegger, the star of the 1993 movie "Last Action Hero" and former California governor, became a take-action hero on Tuesday after he filled an enormous pothole in his Brentwood neighborhood. Road crews have been struggling to keep up with repairs due to recent heavy rain in the region, resulting in a backlog of service requests for pothole repairs.
Schwarzenegger took matters into his own hands, saying that the "whole neighborhood" was upset by the issue. He and a helper used packaged concrete to repair the road as neighbors watched on. One neighbor rolled down her car window and shouted her thanks at the action movie star.
Since Dec. 30, Los Angeles has received 19,692 service requests for repairs; as of April 6, crews had filled at least 17,549 potholes across the city. The Department of Public Works did not immediately respond to inquiries about whether or not Schwarzenegger's DIY repair job had already been scheduled for official maintenance.
The actor shared a video on Twitter showing him shoveling concrete mix alongside his helper while wearing work boots and sunglasses – reminiscent of his role in Terminator – along with a leather jacket more suited to being an action hero than performing manual labor.
"I just couldn't stand it anymore," said Schwarzenegger when asked why he decided to tackle this issue himself. "Every time I drove past that pothole it reminded me how we need better infrastructure funding throughout our state."
Local residents were thrilled by their famous neighbor's unexpected display of community activism. Mary Johnson from nearby Wilshire Boulevard commented: "It's great to see someone like Arnold step up and help out around here! We've all been complaining about these roads for weeks now."
While some may argue that this act is simply another publicity stunt for the former governor, others see it as a genuine effort to improve his community. Regardless of motive, Schwarzenegger's actions have undoubtedly brought attention to the importance of infrastructure maintenance and funding in Los Angeles.
In response to this incident, city officials are urging residents not to attempt DIY road repairs but rather report potholes via their official channels. "We appreciate Mr. Schwarzenegger's enthusiasm," said James Daniels from the Department of Public Works, "but we encourage all citizens to use our city services when reporting these issues."