Arnold Schwarzenegger may be a legend in the bodybuilding circuit, but his role as a villain in the 1984 “The Terminator” movie may be how fans remember the megastar. His dialogue, “I will be back,” has become an iconic catchphrase on the silver screen. Moreover, the Austrian Oak’s ruthless performance as a machine in human skin from the post-apocalyptic future remains one of the most exciting roles in the science fiction genre. Moreover, his biker jacket and sunglasses as he chases Sarah Connor on his Harley-Davidson evoke passionate nostalgia from cinephiles. The Terminator franchise is an emotion, not merely a movie. However, fans would be surprised to know Arnie had inhibitions before taking the role.

In Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story, Arnold Schwarzenegger, draws an honest picture of his life. From his experience in America to his journey as an actor, the seven-time Mr. Olympia bared it all. In one chapter, the bodybuilding icon revealed that he first said no to the movie despite liking the script. One wonders what the T-800s’ initial reservations were.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was concerned with the number of dialogues in the Terminator movie

The ex-governor of California recalled his meeting with the director, James Cameron, in vivid detail. The script impressed Arnie so much that he meditated deeply on the T-800s persona. For example, how would the villainous robot load his gun or not blink at the camera, his training style, etc.? However, the Statesman did not want to portray the character. He wrote, “No, no, I don’t want to go backward. The Terminator had even fewer lines than Conan—it ended up with eighteen.” Fewer dialogues would put a question mark on his acting abilities at a time when he wanted to reinvent his career as a bankable star.

Schwarzenegger further added, “And I was afraid people would think I was trying to avoid speaking roles or, worse, that a lot of my dialogue had been edited out of the final film because it wasn’t working.” The 1980s were stepping stones for Arnie in the movie industry. Hence, his apprehensions are understandable. The hero did not want others to give a wrong impression of his acting prowess. Therefore, he was scared to play the character. 

Read More: “This Was Nothing”: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s First Hollywood Experience Didn’t Live Up to His Expectations

Furthermore, the bodybuilder did not want to play a villain right at the onset of his career. Additionally, he did not want his Austrian accent to become an impediment to his artistic persuasions. Thank goodness James Cameron persisted with the choice, and Arnold gave in. Otherwise, the world would be deprived of a cinematic masterpiece. Moreover, it could have proven catastrophic for his career. Surprisingly, it was his accent that won the Pumping Iron actor the role.

James Cameron believed in Schwarzenegger’s talent

In an interview with the Financial Times, the philanthropist divulged one reason that won Arnie the role of the cyborg assassin. He mentioned, “My accent was perfect. Jim Cameron said, ‘You talk differently than we all do—you talk like a machine! This is what makes Terminator.”

Furthermore, James Cameron was so impressed with the Austrian Oak that he replaced the initial choice, O. J. Simpson, with Arnie. However, it was not a bed of roses for the actor while filming. The movie was made on a low budget of $6.5 million but earned a staggering $78.3 million and the overall franchise was $1.4 billion worth.

Schwarzenegger had to do many of his action scenes himself, and this shows that when talented people collaborate, hiccups like budgets or fewer dialogues become negligible issues. Are you a Terminator fan? Let us know in the comments.

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