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James Cameron’sThe Terminatorhas become a classic film that has stood the test of time, and its lead star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, forever reminds fans that he is the one and only perfect actor to portray the character. The franchise has been through a lot over the years, but it remains one of the biggest films in history.
The behind-the-scenes of the 1984 movie was as interesting as the viewing experience itself, and for someone who was still making a name in the industry, Cameron had a lot to prove. The pressure was, indeed, real when he started working with Schwarzenegger who already held global fame.
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James Cameron On Casting Arnold Schwarzenegger InThe Terminator
James CameroncreatedThe Terminatorwhen he was only at the start of his career, and the only feature film he had under his belt was a low-budgetPiranhasequel. At the time, Arnold Schwarzenegger was already known as a seven-time Mr. Olympia title holder and had starred inConan the Barbarianin 1982.
This put pressure on the Canadian filmmaker as he once revealed working with the actor was an intimidating experience (viaIMDb):
“I was petrified at the start of The Terminator (1984). First of all, I was working with a star, at least I thought of him as a star at the time. Arnold came out of it even more a star.”
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Schwarzenegger was originally cast for the role of Kyle Reese, but when Cameron personally met him, the director realized he found the perfect actor for the role of Terminator. The former professional bodybuilder once told Cameron viaGraham Bensinger:
“Everything was kind of off because he was not like a human being, there was something wrong here, but you couldn’t identify exactly what it was. He cannot go and look down and have the magazine be put into the gun… This has to be done like a machine, therefore he has to be trained blindfolded.”
Cameron was amazed with the actor’s idea and decided theTrue Liesstar knew the Terminator better than anyone else. Right then, he hired Schwarzenegger as the titular character, but the latter refused. He badly wanted to play Reese.
The director told him to go home and reflect for a while. Eventually, thePredatorstar realized it could be the most memorable character he would ever play if he did it right.
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James Cameron Saw Arnold Schwarzenegger As An Extremely Strong Machine
James Cameron admitted in an interview withGQhow he perceivedArnold Schwarzenegger’s character and why he changed his mind about his casting. He stated:
“I couldn’t get over how unique [Arnold Schwarzenegger’s] face was, how it almost just projected this kind of raw power. And my conception of the character had been that he was more of an infiltrator. But then my perspective shifted, and I would say that it kind of pivoted on a dime.”
He also noted how Schwarzenegger had the makings of a real Terminator, even without the weapons that made him more terrifying. He continued:
“I just saw him as like this kind of bulldozer, this kind of armored tank. And he could just move through a crowd. If anybody was in his way, he’d just push them out of the way, and you’d just accept it. It didn’t even have anything to do with the guns, it was just that kind of raw strength, a kind of a machine strength.”
Despite his initial feeling of intimidation towards Schwarzenegger and the beef they had on the set, theTerminatorfranchise both propelled their careers to the stratosphere of stardom and success.
RELATED:James Cameron’s Unmade Spider-Man Film Wanted Arnold Schwarzenegger as Iconic Marvel Villain Opposite Leonardo DiCaprio’s Peter Parker
Ariane Cruz
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3533
Ariane Cruz is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 3,000 articles published. Her love for pop culture and the creative arts fuels her passion to deliver engaging and informative stories. Her daily consumption of films, shows, and books keeps her energized for the day, along with her mission to serve as the bridge between fans and their favorite franchises.
