Who would not want to work with someone as influential as Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose transformation from being a bodybuilder to a successful movie star is really inspiring? 

After immigrating to America in 1968, he began his acting career, landing his first leading role in the 1970 movie, Hercules In New York.

Schwarzenegger did not become the Terminator until 1984, thanks to a breakthrough performance in Conan the Barbarian in 1982.

There was no turning back from that point on as his legendary status in the halls of cinematic history was solidified.

In a science fiction action movie that James Cameron directed in 1984, Arnold Schwarzenegger was accompanied by Linda Hamilton. She later appeared in several movies in the franchise as Sarah Connor.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Even though the 1984 film has since evolved into a beloved blockbuster, when Hamilton agreed to play Sarah, a future resistance fighter, she had her fair share of “doubts” about the project.

Linda Hamilton Was Doubtful To Work With Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger have been friends for many years.

The two met while filming the science fiction action thriller, The Terminator, which is regarded as a cult favorite and has since given rise to a successful billion-dollar franchise.

Despite the huge success of the movie and its 1991 sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Hamilton once acknowledged that she initially had some “doubts” about working with the Austrian Oak.

Schwarzenegger in the first Terminator movie
The Children of the Corn actress revealed on The Graham Norton Show:

“Yeah, not at all. Only because I was a snotty New York actress, you know? So, here’s Arnold starring this film, and my people were very excited.

And I was, ‘I don’t know, I don’t know, I’m gonna see for myself.’”

Hamilton claimed that she later changed her mind and agreed to work with him after seeing Schwarzenegger in The Terminator role as she later recalled:

“I went to see him at work and watched him as that robot. I said, ‘All right, this might be alright.”

Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2
In a different interview with Entertainment Tonight, Hamilton reflected on her strong working relationship with the former professional bodybuilder. The King Kong Lives actress said:

“I loved working with Arnold. I actually was just pleased as punch when I saw him again. It had been a number of years.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Viewed As A ‘Bodybuilder Pretending To Be An Actor’

Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s portrayal of the Terminator is undoubtedly one of his most well-known roles because his imposing presence as the hulking bodybuilder perfectly captured the role of a menacing killing machine.

Linda Hamilton, who played Sarah Connor, the future resistance fighter, had “doubts” about the project when she agreed to work in the 1984 movie.

Hamilton talked about her experience working on James Cameron’s film in the Arnold docuseries on Netflix.

“It was truly just another job. I didn’t think that it was particularly greater than over scripts that I’d read.

I mean, really clueless. It was very low budget and we were all rather new at it. I definitely had my doubts.”

James Cameron And Linda Hamilton In The Terminator
The 66-year-old actress also thought Schwarzenegger was a “poser” because of his bodybuilding background when they first began working together:

“By our snotty definition, Arnold was a poser. A bodybuilder pretending to be an actor.”

Hamilton claimed that, after seeing the 38th Governor of California, in action, she had a change of heart.

“But because I was curious, I went and stood off the sidelines watching Arnold, and I bought it.

The physicality and the stiffness and all of the things that he was implementing.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator
And finally, she further noted:

“I was like, ‘OK, this might work’.”

Hamilton and Schwarzenegger reunited for Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the direct sequel to The Terminator.

 The Terminator, which was widely regarded as a significant success, helped advance the careers of James Cameron and the 7 time Mr Olympia Winner.

You can stream The Terminator on Max.