Shaquille O’Neal, the legendary basketball player known for his commanding persona is one of America’s most loved celebrities. However, he had ambitious plans when he was young in Orlando. Among them was becoming successful in Hollywood. Inevitably, the man who considers himself Superman would go for The Terminator franchise. He wanted to be alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Shaquille O’Neal is the ideal ambassador for the NBA. He shares similar qualities with Arnold Schwarzenegger as a youth cultural icon: a sly sense of humor, deadpan cool, and unmatched physical authority.
The Basketball Legend Wanted to Team Up Next with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Many people were curious as to how Shaquille O’Neal would fill the void left by the sport he loved when he retired from professional basketball in 2011. In the end, Hollywood’s glitz and glamour held the key to the solution. During his basketball career, Shaq had already tried acting by making cameo appearances in films like Blue Chips and Kazaam.
Shaquille O’Neal wanted to be a part of the Terminator franchise in the Terminator 3 movie with none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.
As per the excerpt from Sports Illustrated, Shaquille O’Neal had this to say, “I want to do Terminator 3.”
“‘It sounds good,” O’Neal continued. ‘Arnold against Shaq. We’d make $200 million the first night. I met him, too. Arnold. He’s real short.’ O’Neal gave an estimate with the flat of his hand, but it’s only about five feet off the ground.”
Shaquille O’Neal: From Courtside to Silver Screen
His powerful and charismatic presence translated nicely to the big screen with being 7 feet 1 inch tall. O’Neal quickly began playing more significant roles, although his early performances were frequently cameos or funny caricatures of himself.
Notably, he starred in the 1996 fantasy-comedy Kazaam, a critical and commercial flop. In the movie, Shaq plays a genie who is discovered by a young boy and must grant him three wishes. Shaq himself regretted his performance in the film and acknowledged its flaws.
Another film that offered O’Neal plenty of chances to showcase his acting abilities was Steel (1997). The former NBA All-Star portrayed Steel, also known as John Henry Irons.
Source: Sports Illustrated
