Arnold Schwarzenegger, actor and former California governor, terminates a giant ‘pothole’ that was a service trench

Fed up by an enormous pothole in his neighbourhood, Arnold Schwarzenegger picked up a shovel and filled it himself. Photo / Office of Arnold Schwarzenegger via AP

Fed up by an enormous “pothole” in his Los Angeles neighbourhood, Arnold Schwarzenegger picked up a shovel and filled it himself.

The actor and former California governor tweeted a video Tuesday of him and a helper using packaged concrete to repair the road in the Brentwood area.

Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole that’s been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it. I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it. Here you go. pic.twitter.com/aslhkUShvT

— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) April 11, 2023

“Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole that’s been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it,” he wrote on Twitter. “I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it. Here you go.”

A neighbour rolled down her car window and shouted her thanks at the action movie star.

“You’re welcome,” said Schwarzenegger, decked out in work boots, a leather jacket and shades reminiscent of his role in Terminator.

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger repairs a pothole on a street in his Los Angeles neighbourhood. Photo / AP

“You have to do it yourself. This is crazy. For three weeks I’ve been waiting for this hole to be closed,” he said.

Unfortunately, there was a twist to the plot, worthy of a Hollywood action movie.

“This location is not a pothole,” a spokesperson for the City of Los Angeles told NBC Los Angeles. “It’s a service trench that relates to active, permitted work being performed at the location by SoCal Gas, who expects the work to be completed by the end of May.

“As is the case with similar projects impacting City streets, SoCal Gas will be required to repair the area once their work is completed.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger (centre back) digs in to repair a hole on a street in his Los Angeles neighbourhood. Photo / AP

Daniel Ketchell, a spokesman for Schwarzenegger, said Brentwood residents had made repeated requests for repairs since winter storms opened up potholes and cracks on local roads.

Mayor Karen Bass last week announced a plan to address what she called an unprecedented number of damaged streets across the city.

Since December 30, Los Angeles has received 19,692 service requests for repairs, and as of April 6, crews had filled at least 17,549 potholes, officials said.