Arnold Schwarzenegger, 79, Is Officially Woman’s World’s First-Ever World’s Hottest Grandpa!
Editor-in-Chief Liz Vaccariello explains what really earned the "opa" to Lyla, Eloise and Ford his sash—plus 20 real-life #HotGrandpas you nominated
Key Takeaways
- Arnold Schwarzenegger is Woman’s World’s first-ever World’s Hottest Grandpa at 79.
- Arnold plays Santa Claus in the new Prime Video movie 'The Man with the Bag.'
- The November 20 issue also celebrates 20 inspiring real-life grandpas nationwide.
Remember the first time you saw Arnold Schwarzenegger flex on the big screen? Maybe it was Hercules in New York back in 1969. Maybe it was The Terminator, or Predator or True Lies. Whatever your Arnold memory, here’s one more to add to the collection: at 79, the man is officially the World’s Hottest Grandpa—and Woman’s World is making it official.
That’s right. In our brand-new issue, hitting newsstands November 20, 2026, we’re crowning Arnold as our first-ever World’s Hottest Grandpa. It’s the kickoff of a new annual tradition celebrating the men who make grandparenthood great—and we can’t think of a more perfect guy to wear the sash first.
What makes a grandpa ‘hot’? It’s more than the smile
Our Editor-in-Chief Liz Vaccariello laid out exactly what earns a grandpa the title.
“A charming smile, twinkling eyes and a little silver-fox swagger certainly don’t hurt!” she said. “But at Woman’s World, we know the real magic goes much deeper. It’s a loving heart, a great sense of humor, a generous spirit, and a special way of making family feel cherished, safe, and loved. That’s what inspired our new World’s Hottest Grandpa initiative, an annual celebration of the men who are the heart of their families and make life sweeter by just being themselves. And Arnold certainly checks all those boxes! He’s the perfect choice for this inaugural honor.”
Charming smile? Check. Twinkling eyes? Double check. Silver-fox swagger? You bet. But what really seals it is the way Arnold talks about family these days. The guy who once said “I’ll be back” now spends his days being called opa—the German word for grandpa—by his three grandkids, Lyla, Eloise and Ford.
“Laughter… Joy is what life’s all about,” Arnold tells Woman’s World.
The former Mr. Universe, the Terminator himself, a two-term governor of California—and what he wants to talk about is laughter and joy with the grandkids. That’s the kind of grandpa we’re celebrating.
Santa Claus, Arnold-style
If you’re looking for a cozy holiday watch this year, mark your calendar for December 2. That’s when The Man with the Bag premieres on Prime Video, and yes—Arnold plays Santa Claus. Red suit. White beard. The whole deal.
He stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live last night to talk about the film—and to joke about the perks of his new Woman’s World cover title. When Kimmel asked if he gets anything for being named the World’s Hottest Grandpa, Arnold quipped, “They give you a trophy, and then they give you 20% off at the early bird specials at Denny’s.”
From Hercules to Opa—what a ride
At 79, Arnold’s far from retirement. He told Kimmel he’s working on sequels to Predator, Conan the Barbarian and Commando. Conan, he jokes, will now be King Conan—a king who’s been on the throne for 40 years and is getting a little complacent. He admits the sword fighting and horseback riding aren’t quite as easy as they used to be.
“You get older and you slow down a little bit, right?” he said. But not much. Not much at all.
20 real-life #HotGrandpas get their moment, too
Arnold may be on the cover, but the issue also celebrates 20 real-life #HotGrandpas nominated by wives, daughters, granddaughters, friends and neighbors from across the country—and as far away as India. They range in age from 39 to 93, and every single story will tug at your heart.
A few of the honorees:
- Andrew “Andy” Trabanco, 81, of The Villages, Florida—a Vietnam War Army veteran, retired FDNY captain who served at the World Trade Center site on 9/11, and a Disney-loving “PopPop.”
- Dr. Marcus D. Cosby, 54, of Houston, pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church and described as “Houston’s hometown hero.”
- Gerald Renner, 90, of Media, Pennsylvania—a retired police sergeant married 67 years to his high school sweetheart.
- Nathan Moore, 79, of Mesa, Arizona—a retired teacher and missionary who has traveled to all seven continents and volunteered at an orphanage in India.
- Stephen James Zajac, 39, of Lenoir, North Carolina—the youngest honoree, a Navy veteran and self-described “girl grandpa.”
- Clement Etrick, 86, of Melbourne, Florida—an Air Force veteran, published poet and author of “This Widower’s Walk,” with more than 80 cruises under his belt.
Two “internet grandpas” rounded out the list, too: Grandad Joe (@GrandadJoe1933), 93, from Staffordshire, UK, who went viral in 2020 and now has 9 million TikTok followers, and Bo Petterson (@DadAdviceFromBo), 67, from Leavenworth, Washington, with 5 million followers of his own. Proof that charm has no age limit.
And so much more inside
The issue is packed with holiday goodness: 16 extra pages of “The Joyful Side of Life” bonus content, genius holiday shortcuts, the best Black Friday deals, quick decorating ideas, appetizer and cocktail pairings, a “Comfort Food Cure” feature on eats that help power off pounds, “25 Ideas to Spread Kindness” and a health feature on a life-changing move your doctor might not mention.
The cover price is $5.49. Pick it up at the newsstand starting November 20, and get ready to smile. Arnold, opa to Lyla, Eloise and Ford, has officially set the bar—and we think he’s just getting started.
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