Former NFL star O.J. Simpson, who had roles in films including The Naked Gun film trilogy, was set to play the cyborg in James Cameron’s 1984 sci-fi classic, according to Arnold Schwarzenegger, 76, who landed the role.
“I think O.J. Simpson was cast, not yet a contract signed, but was cast already to play the Terminator. So Cameron was trying to talk me into playing the Terminator and I said, ‘Nah, I want to play Reese,’ ” Schwarzenegger told the “Smartless” podcast about how he had originally been cast as rebel soldier Kyle Reese instead of the Terminator.
“He said, ‘No, you understand the Terminator. You talk about how he has to walk and turn his head like a machine. That’s exactly what he has to do.’ Anyway, he talked me into it,” Schwarzenegger said.
Schwarzenegger added Simpson was bumped from the project after he showed “too much enthusiasm” to play the part of the time-traveling robot assassin.
Cameron’s 1984 film took more than $78 million at the box office and spawned a string of sequels.
Simpson declared in 1980 he would “love” to have an Oscar or Emmy for his acting efforts as he thought they were symbols of how “you’ve reached a level of competence in this business.” He avoided starring in blaxploitation films and played Detective Norberg in The Naked Gun alongside Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley and George Kennedy.
