The Terminator is one of the most successful movie franchises in history. Created by James Cameron, it spawned six movies, two seasons of a television series and two web series. The franchise has generated over $3 billion in revenue and the original film is considered the movie that solidified Schwarzenegger as a bankable leading man in Hollywood. However, the Austrian born actor was not the first person to be considered for the role. Instead, it was supposed to go to disgraced former NFL player O.J. Simpson.
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The role of the T-800 cybernetic android disguised as a human, portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, was originally offered to Simpson by Orion Pictures co-founder Mike Medavoy. When Cameron learned of it, he immediately put a halt to it, stating that casting the former football running back could offend their audience.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Cast as Terminator After James Cameron Turned Down O. J. Simpson Because of His Race
During an interview with The Guardian, Cameron revealed that Medavoy called him one night and told him that he had cast O.J. Simpson after meeting him at a party. Cameron was not a fan of the decision and immediately told him to reconsider, asking him why he thought it was a good idea to have a black athlete chasing a white woman.
“Mike Medavoy at Orion called me up one night and said, ‘I just went to this party and I got the movie cast!’,” Cameron recalled. “Now, of course, every filmmaker loves to hear that some douche executive has cast your movie for you. And he said, ‘OK, O. J. Simpson for the Terminator.’
“I was like, ‘Hey Mike, Bad idea! You’re going to have this black athlete chasing this white girl around LA with a fricking knife and a gun? We’re not doing that’.”
O.J. Simpson and his fall from grace
O.J Simpson was once one of the most popular figures in the U.S. After retiring from football, he began a career in acting. He appeared in movies such as Back to the Beach and The Naked Gun trilogy.
Simpson was tried and acquitted for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1994. He was acquitted of both counts of murder but was later charged with murder after a blood-stained glove was found on his property.
Instead of turning himself in, he became the subject of a high-profile pursuit.
The coverage of the pursuit was watched by an estimated 95 million people and it even interrupted coverage of the 1994 NBA Finals with TV stations choosing to broadcast the chase instead!
Simpson was found guilty of the murder and was ordered to pay $33.5 million to the Goldman family. He later moved to Miami to avoid paying the liability, most of which still remains unpaid.
The former NFL player was arrested again in 2007 and charged with armed robbery and kidnapping. As of today, he is a completely free man having received an early parole last year. However, his once clean-cut image now lies in tatter, completely devoid of any saving grace.
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