Edward Furlong went from nobody to movie star playing John Connor in Terminator 2, and here's why James Cameron cast him in the major role.

Edward Furlong went from nobody to movie star playing John Connor in Terminator 2, and here's why James Cameron cast him in the major role. The idea of unknowns being "discovered" in Hollywood is a bit of a cliche, but it actually happens much less than most might think. Chances are, the average person will not just be stumbled upon in a supermarket or gym, talked up by a producer or casting director, then whisked away to audition for a movie or TV show.

Still, that doesn't mean that exact type of scenario doesn't sometimes happen. After all, that idea had to come from somewhere. There are indeed cases where a total unknown, someone with no acting experience, happens to be in the right place at the right time. Sometimes that turn of events leads to a successful career in Hollywood. Other times, the person in question goes on to do a few roles, then fade from the limelight just as quickly as they attained it.

Furlong kind of ended up with both those outcomes. While his acting career has never really ended, and he remains a popular figure with fans of Terminator 2, it's been a while since he starred in a high-profile project. Here's how he scored his greatest role.

Terminator 2: Why Edward Furlong Was Cast As John Connor

Prior to Terminator 2, not only had Edward Furlong never acted before, he had no ambitions to become an actor either. That was until he was discovered by casting director Marti Finn at a Boys' Club in Pasadena, California. Several child actors had auditioned for the role of John Connor, but none had felt "streetwise" enough for the part. That led Finn to try and find a non-professional, which she did in Furlong. When she approached him, Furlong gave her the kind of too cool for the room attitude she had been looking for.

To top things off, Furlong's personal story mirrored John Connor's in some notable ways, in that he had grown up without a father and had been separated from his mother. Furlong's casting hit a rocky patch, when his first reading alongside Linda Hamilton went poorly, apparently due to him being intimidated by the veteran actor. James Cameron came close to moving on, but Finn convinced the director to give Furlong another shot. He agreed to do so, partially due to seeing a facial resemblance between Furlong and Hamilton. Furlong ultimately got the role and the rest is history. Interestingly, Arnold Schwarzenegger ended up serving as a surrogate father figure to Furlong both on camera and behind the scenes of Terminator 2, and Furlong still looks up him to this day.

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