Alec Baldwin. Photograph: Diane
Bondareff/APThe Hollywood actor and political activist Alec Baldwin has asked to be removed as the narrator of a documentary about the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, writes Paul Willis.
The documentary, called Running With Arnold, was written and directed by former Vanity Fair writer Nick Cox, and promises to expose Schwarzenegger's life "in all its sordid glory".
As a vocal critic of Arnie's political career, Baldwin seemed an obvious choice to voice the documentary. But the actor got cold feet after watching the finished product.
Baldwin objected to the filmmakers' use of images from Nazi rallies, which were included to make points about Schwarzenegger's father and the actor's friendship with the former president of Austria Kurt Waldheim. The star's father was a member of the Nazi party in his native Austria, and Waldheim, who was invited to Schwarzenegger's wedding, was barred from entering the US after an investigation into his activities in a German unit associated with Nazi atrocities. Waldheim has always denied the connection.
On the Huffington Post, Baldwin explained his sudden U-turn, saying he was "somewhat dismayed by some of the images" in the film.
"The filmmakers hammer Schwarzenegger over his private behaviour and his record as governor," he said in his posting. "But Schwarzenegger deserves to be treated fairly, and the film's images of Nazi rallies were over the line."
Baldwin said he had returned his fee for the film and had asked his lawyers to issue a cease-and-desist demand against the filmmakers.
The film's producers said they were surprised by the actor's reaction.
The producer, Mike Gabrawy, who has yet to find a distributor for the documentary, said: "I knew we'd get resistance to a film about the most prominent Republican in California.
"We're all just a bit shocked that it's coming from a supporter of the film and arguably the most outspoken Democrat."
However, he insisted that the film - complete with Baldwin's narration - would remain uncut.
Schwarzenegger is no stranger to controversy. His election campaign in California in 2003 was dogged by scandals concerning his private life, with scores of women claiming to have been sexually harassed by the Terminator star. But it is his links to Waldheim, who is seen in the film photographed in his second world war Wehrmacht uniform, that have caused the biggest storms of his political career.
Shortly after revelations about Waldheim's links to the Nazis emerged, Schwarzenegger reportedly gave a glowing tribute to his countryman during a speech at his wedding.
In his post, Baldwin made it clear that he was still no fan of the actor-turned-governor. "I think he was unqualified for his current job when he ran in the bogus recall election. I believe he is unqualified for that job today," he said.
But he added: "The people of California have the right to re-elect an unqualified man to lead their state, and they have the right to do so without unfair and ultimately offensive images of the Third Reich thrown in for bad measure."
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