Billy Idol Was Originally Set to Play The T-1000 in TERMINATOR 2 Before Robert Patrick!?
Robert Patrick was so perfect for the role of the liquid metal T-1000 villain in James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgement Day. What's crazy is that he originally didn't have the part. According to Patrick, Cameron had originally cast another actor in the role. That actor was rock star, Billy Idol!
As you know, the classic movie is being re-released in theaters in 3D next week and when talking about the film with THR, Patrick revealed:
"Billy Idol was set to do the role of the T-1000, as I understand. I can tell you that I saw Billy's image when I went to Stan Winston after I got the role. Unfortunately, he got into a motorcycle accident and busted up his leg, so he wasn't able to physically do what the role demanded."
Damn, that's pretty crazy. It's really hard to imagine Idol in the role of the T-1000. I think it would have been hard not to be distracted seeing Idol as the robot assassin. I would have been hard to take seriously. Patrick goes on to talk about how he got the role:
"My agent sold me to the T2 casting director (Mali Finn) as a cross between David Bowie and James Dean. So, I was trying to create an intense presence while I was sitting with Mali. I had this intense stare, which she liked."
After working with the casting crew on the movements of his character, which Patrick described as "insect-like", Cameron called him in to do a screen test.
"It was just one of those moments when everything came together at the right time."
I can't imagine anyone else in the role of the T-1000. After Patrick landed the role he had to get into top-notch shape. As you know he did a lot of running in T2, and he couldn't show any signs of fatigue so Patrick had to train hard. When talking about how he shot those running scenes he explained:
"I did it like a sprinter would: I locked eyes on a target and focused so there was no wasted energy. When done, I would clench my jaw, no mouth breathing, only through the nose and no expression because the character would not be straining."
Patrick ended up getting really fast. So fast, in fact, that he actually caught Edward Furlong's John Conor while he was chasing him on his dirt bike! Patrick said:
"The first big chase sequence we did at the mall before I take the semi, I caught John! And I was like, 'What the fuck do I do know?' And Jim was like, 'Jesus Christ! How fast can you run?!' And I said I didn't know. So they had to crank up the speed of John's dirt bike."
I included the scene for you to watch below. Patrick also went on to say that he learned how to shoot and reload a Beretta 92FS extremely quickly without having to look at it. The T-1000 just had to have that cold, calculated, and preciseness to him.
It sucks that Billy Idol lost the role due to a broken leg, but in the end I think it worked out best for the film that he didn't end up as the T-1000.