13 Movie Villains You Didn't Know Almost Played The Hero

13. Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Almost Kyle Reese Before He Was The Terminator

Unthinkably, it took the advice of James Cameron to convince the hulking actor not to ignore the icon-making role that endures as his most memorable performance in favour of being the good guy.

In the early days of the Terminator's production, Cameron preferred the idea of casting a less statuesque, more "normal-looking" actor for the villainous titular robo-assassin, with Lance Henriksen considered two years before he'd play an android for Cameron in another mega-selling franchise. Arnold Schwarzenegger meanwhile was the original choice to play Kyle Reese, but when the director met the giant former body builder, he decided to swap the intended allegiance, and cast Michael Biehn as Reese (despite the actor almost ruining his audition by accidentally using a regional accent.)

While the idea of a slighter actor chasing Arnie around isn't exactly repugnant thanks to Cameron revisiting the dynamic in T2, it wouldn't have been the same to see him cast as the desperate, wily Reese. And besides, we would have missed out on one of the most iconic minimalist film performances of all time.