Following his acting debut in the 1970s, Arnold Schwarzenegger landed the titular role in James Cameron’s 1984 film The Terminator. It was a huge hit, further extending into a franchise with several films and Television series. The movie not only propelled Schwarzenegger to stardom but also marked a significant milestone in James Cameron’s career.
However, one of the cast members was not so sure if the Austrian actor was capable of leading the sci-fi action film. Linda Hamilton, who played the role of Sarah Conner in the film, shared that she believed Schwarzenegger was a poser, only to be proven wrong by the action movie star within a matter of days.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Debunked Linda Hamilton’s Doubts
The Terminator star Linda Hamilton recalled her first impression of her co-star Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Netflix documentary, Arnold. The actress shared that it was “just another job” for her and she didn’t think much about it.
However, she still had her doubts, which only developed further when she started working with Arnold Schwarzenegger as she believed that the actor was a “poser” due to his bodybuilding background. “By our snotty definition, Arnold was a poser,” she said before adding, “A bodybuilder pretending to be an actor.”
However, it did not take long for the FUBAR star to change Hamilton’s mind. The 67-year-old actress shared that she was curious about his skills as an actor and would watch him from the sidelines. As she inspected him, she was convinced by his physical presence, his mannerisms, and the way he embodied the character.
“The physicality, and the stiffness and all of the things that he was implementing,” she admitted before further stating, “I was like, ‘OK, this might work.” The filming for The Terminator lasted for around 10 weeks. However, Hamilton’s statement suggests that it did not take her long to be convinced of the action star’s acting prowess.
Arnold Schwarzenegger And Linda Hamilton on Returning to the Hit Franchise
Following their collaboration in the 1984 film, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton reunited on screen once more for its sequel, Terminator 2: Judgement Day. And the duo would later reunite in the last film in the franchise to date, Terminator: Dark Fate. The actress opened up about the long-awaited reunion with the co-star in a conversation with Entertainment Tonight.
“I loved working with Arnold. I actually was just pleased as punch when I saw him again—It had been a number of years. And I just have this affection for him that is so deep and biting, that just got completely cemented on this film.”
However, when it comes to reprising their roles in a potential future film in the series, both actors have firmly declined the possibility. Schwarzenegger has shared that he is “done” with the franchise and would not be reprising his role in any potential future projects. Hamilton has also said that she would be “quite happy to never return” and would really love for the franchise to be done.
The Terminator is available to stream on Max.
