Arnold Schwarzenegger probably tops that list if we rank the most incredible action stars ever. He has been in numerous action films, including The Terminator series and Commando. What ties these films together is how they consistently show Arnie’s character as a strong, unstoppable individual.
Arnie is famous for his action movies and memorable lines like “I’ll be back.” People love quoting these lines and even mention them in other movies too. His films often appear in lists of the greatest movies, making him a top action star.
His character as the Terminator, a cybernetic android disguised as a human being sent back in time to assassinate Sarah Connor. It would be shocking to hear that Schwarzenegger was not the first to be cast as the main lead in the 1984 classic action Terminator. It was O.J. Simpson who was about to play the role, but he didn’t because Orion Pictures proposed Schwarzenegger, and also it was because Cameron was impressed with one thing about Schwarzenegger, and it is obviously not his physique.
O.J. Simpson Was About to Play The Terminator
O.J. Simpson was originally supposed to be cast as the Terminator in James Cameron‘s 1984 cult classic sci-fi film. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who ultimately won the role, ignited the rumor in 2019 after telling The Independent:
“It was actually O.J. Simpson that was the first-cast Terminator.”
Initially, James Cameron didn’t want Arnie to play the role, but Orion Pictures proposed Schwarzenegger to play the other guy in the movie. The director said that he will never forget walking out of his apartment and telling his roommate:
“I’ve got to go have lunch with Conan and pick a fight with him.”
That was just his agenda because he didn’t want Schwarzenegger to do the movie. So he had to get into an argument with Arnie and wanted to tell everyone that he wasn’t the right fit for the role. But that’s not what happened.
It was because Schwarzy was so charming and so into the script that the director totally forgot his agenda. Cameron had a great time with Schwarzenegger; he made Cameron smoke a cigar and even paid for the lunch because Cameron and Hemdale didn’t have money.
Physique Wasn’t the Factor that Made James Cameron Cast Arnold Schwarzenegger
Over lunch with Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Cameron started thinking that Arnie has the most amazing face, and he was almost about to say (but was petrified to put in words in front of Austrian Oak):
“Arnold, just stop talking for a second and be real still.”
Cameron thought that Schwarzenegger had all the qualities that would make a great Terminator. But the actor doesn’t want to play the role. So, the director returned to John Daly and said,
“Forget it, it’s not going to work. But, boy, he’d make a hell of a Terminator.”
But Cameron didn’t want him because he was popular in the US at that time because of his bodybuilding; rather, he saw the pretty face of Schwarzenegger, which captivated Cameron to cast him in the movie. Orion Pictures sought a rising US star with international appeal for Kyle Reese’s role. Mike Medavoy, Orion’s co-founder, met Arnie and sent his agent The Terminator script for consideration.
As said, Schwarzy didn’t want to play the role initially, but later the deal was closed that afternoon (when Cameron and Schwarzenegger had lunch together), and they made the movie after a two-year hold.
Source: Terminator Files
