Vanessa Williams Was "Miserable" While Fighting Off Arnold Schwarzenegger Dating Rumors In The Film,

Highlights

• Vanessa Williams faced struggles on set, being told to lose weight, impacting her mental health and diet.
• Rumors of affair between Schwarzenegger and Williams emerged during filming Eraser, but both parties remained silent.
• Eraser was a financial success for Schwarzenegger, while critics had mixed opinions, fans praised the 90s action film.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's love life has been a hot topic over the years. That continues today, as he fell for girlfriend Heather Milligan while she was working for him. However, back in 1996, circumstances were different for Arnold, who was in a rumored relationship with Vanessa Williams, while married to Maria Shriver.

In the following, we're going to take a closer look at the speculation that surrounded the two at the time. In addition, we'll reveal what the experience itself was a miserable one for Williams, particularly because she was told to lose weight for the film.

We'll reveal how that went, while also putting the spotlight on the film itself, Eraser. It seems like both the fans and critics have different opinions of the film.

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Vanessa Williams Was Told To Lose Weight Prior To Starring In Eraser Alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger

Back in 1996, Arnold Schwarzenegger once again showed off his star power at the box office. Although the action/thriller received mixed reviews, it was a hit at the box office, bringing in $242 million off a $100 million budget. Arnold, James Caan, and Vannesa Williams were the major stars of the film.

Despite the film's success and the chemistry between Williams and Schwarzenegger, it was a difficult experience for Vanessa in particular. Williams says she was asked to lose weight for Eraser, and even considered lipo at one point. She revealed, "I remember times when I'd say, 'I'm only gonna have six almonds today. That's all. That's what I'm gonna have.'"

Coming in with a music background, Williams quickly learned that the entertainment industry was an entirely different beast.

"As a singer, it's a matter of how well you sing, not if I can fit into the outfit. So, I wasn't used to being judged by how skinny I was. I remember being asked by the producer, 'Well, we'd like you to lose some weight. I literally went on a diet. I considered lipo, just to be able to be on screen," she continued. "I lost a lot of weight. I did a lot of cardio. I did a lot of Pilates and I haven't been that thin since. I got really skinny."

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Nowadays, Williams is trying to ensure that her children don't fall into the same trap.

"I've got 4 kids, my youngest is 19 and she's on her phone all the time looking at stuff that's filtered and trying to achieve something that's almost unachievable because everyone's either doctored themselves or starving themselves," Williams said.

Not only was she on a strict diet for the film, but she also faced rumors about a possible relationship alongside Arnold.

Rumors Swirled Regarding A Romance Between Arnold Schwarzenegger And Vanessa Williams During The Film

Arnold Schwarzenegger's marriage to Maria Shriver spanned decades, starting in 1986. However, along the way, there were rumors that started to emerge, and one of them took place a decade into their marriage.

According to Ranker, Vanessa Williams and Arnold might've secretly spent time together off the set while shooting Eraser. It was rumored to be a short affair, and one that came to an end given that both were in marriages at the time.

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For what it's worth, neither side has confirmed the story. Williams, however, got a divorce from her ex-husband a year after the film was released. She remarried in 1999 to Richard Fox, though even that marriage ended in divorce six years later. She was able to find love again in 2015, tying the knot with Jim Skrip.

As for Arnold, he's also in a happy relationship alongside physical therapist, Heather Milligan.

Fans And Critics Have Different Opinions On Eraser

From a financial standpoint, the film was a big success. However, critics and fans had clashing opinions. Critics at Rotten Tomatoes rated the film 43%. Critics wrote, "Most of Eraser consists of Schwarzenegger and Williams dodging bullets and bad guys, but director Chuck Russell doesn't put much effort into the action scenes: He simply points the camera and shoots."

"The stunts, even show-stopping ones such as our man throwing himself out of a plane without a parachute and landing on a car without sustaining injury, have an air of desperation about them."

Another critic wrote, "Eraser is totally meaningless summertime entertainment, but it means something, I suppose, that it has been done so well."

On the flip side, fans on Reddit had lots of praise for the film looking back.

"I remember it being one of the last action movies people went to see just because Arnold was in it. Back when star power alone could sell a movie lol. That said it's a pretty decent standard 90s action movie," a fan wrote.

"This movie is terrific. You have Arnie, a badass Vanessa Williams, and a great James Caan. And an underrated James Cromwell in a small but intense role. How can you go wrong? Highly recommended for those who love 90's style action movies," another fan on Reddit adds.

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