Actor Robert Patrick recently revealed he was terrified director James Cameron would fire him and recast his role as the liquid metal T-1000 villain in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Despite winning the coveted part, Patrick felt overwhelmed acting opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger and worried he wasn’t intimidating enough for Cameron’s vision. But through intense preparation, he overcame self-doubt and crafted an iconic character.
Years later, Patrick’s fears seem unfounded, as his chilling T-1000 remains one of sci-fi’s greatest villains. But at the time, replacing the actor was a real possibility had he not dedicated himself completely to the demanding role. Patrick’s story offers perspective on overcoming insecurity even under pressure-cooker sets like Cameron’s.
Landing Career-Defining Role
Robert Patrick‘ won the coveted role of the shape-shifting T-1000 Terminator in Cameron’s 1991 sci-fi sequel opposite Schwarzenegger. But Patrick recalled feeling anxious about getting fired by the notoriously demanding director.
“Jim is an intense man.” Who knows what he wants and he’s gonna get it from you? I wish every actor had the experience of working with a James Cameron‘ because I’ve never worked with anybody as exact and specific, and really understanding the vision he’s trying to pull off,” Patrick said.
“There was also a part of me that was worried I was gonna get fired! You know, I revealed that recently. That was something I didn’t really share with a lot of people, but I just thought, any day now, this is all gonna go away, and I’m gonna get fired. Why I had that feeling, I’ve no idea,”
Patrick opened up about the pressure that overwhelmed him, which made him think that he was gonna get fired from the movie. Though it was his big break part, self-doubt plagued Patrick throughout filming.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Presence Intimidating
Acting with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the iconic face of the Terminator franchise, further rattled Patrick’s confidence.
“Arnold was already a star. I was supposed to be this unstoppable thing, but I didn’t feel that way compared to him,” Patrick admitted. Matching Schwarzenegger’s imposing screen presence seemed daunting to Patrick early on.
In preparing for the role, Patrick became obsessed with meticulously studying the script to master the T-1000 character. “I analyzed why the T-1000 did what he did in every scene,” he said. That deep understanding fueled his performance.
Didn’t Let Doubts Deter Him
Though plagued by insecurity, Patrick was determined not to let self-doubt ruin his big chance. “I couldn’t let how I felt stop me from doing the work,” he said. Patrick stayed focused on what he could control – his rigorous preparation.
Despite early fears of being fired and recast, Robert Patrick battled self-doubt and won the trust of James Cameron with his complete dedication to mastering the menacing T-1000. Now considered one of sci-fi’s greatest villains, the liquid metal Terminator almost slipped away from Patrick before he even got to make his mark. Patrick’s story offers inspiration for overcoming insecurity through hard work, even under high-stakes conditions.
You can watch Terminator 2: Judgment Day on Showtime, Paramount+, Netflix, and FuboTV or you can buy/rent it on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu.
Source: Den Of Geek
