Edward Furlong Was ‘Spoiled Rotten’ to Land “Terminator 2” at 13, but Admits ‘Growing Up in the Spotlight Is Really Hard’ (Exclusive)

Tereza ShkurtajSat, September 5, 2026 at 1:59 PM UTC

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Edward Furlong in 2026; Edward Furlong in 1991Credit: Bobby Bank/Getty; Tri-Star Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection -

Edward Furlong is known for playing John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, a role that launched his acting career at the early age of 13

As the film celebrates its 35th anniversary, the now 49-year-old recalls what it was like to work with James Cameron and his costars

Furlong also spoke to PEOPLE about his struggles growing up in the spotlight

Edward Furlong was just 13 when he landed the role of John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, launching his acting career and putting him at the center of one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises.

Now, as James Cameron’s 1991 action classic celebrates its 35th anniversary, Furlong is reflecting on the role that changed his life, as well as the difficult years that followed.

Furlong notes that working alongside a director like Cameron was an unusual advantage for his first film. The director’s confidence and command of the production gave the young actor a sense of security while learning the job.

“I was spoiled rotten by being able to work with Jim Cameron as like the first director that I worked with because… he really knows what he’s doing,” Furlong, 49, tells PEOPLE. “It’s like you feel safe with Jim Cameron — you know it’s going to be good.”

Furlong also remembers Arnold Schwarzenegger as a major influence during production. While the actor was already one of the world’s biggest movie stars, Furlong says his professionalism was what stood out most to him.

Edward Furlong and Arnold Schwarzenegger.Credit: Alamy

“He just was the definition of professional… I never, ever saw Arnold complain,” Furlong admits. “He always kind of lifted the mood on set.”

And when it came to playing opposite Linda Hamilton, Furlong says he believes working with someone as experienced as she is helped raise his own performance.

“I think she made me that much better being able to act alongside her,” he shares. “I learned so much from all of them.”

Following his turn in Terminator 2, Furlong landed roles in 1992’s Pet Sematary II and 1998’s American History X with Edward Norton, but admits that fame at such a young age took its toll.

Edward Furlong and Arnold Schwarzenegger.Credit: Alamy

“Growing up in the spotlight is really hard,” Furlong tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It’s tough enough as an adult to be able to navigate… just being a human being and making mistakes, and whatever, when you got a spotlight on you ... it’s tough.”

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In the years that followed, Furlong’s personal life became increasingly troubled by drug and alcohol abuse. He was also charged with two counts of criminal domestic violence in the 2010s following a string of arrests on allegations of domestic abuse.

Then, in 2016, he was arrested for being under the influence of an illicit substance and later entered a recovery program. In February 2025, Furlong shared that he was seven years sober.

Edward Furlong, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton and Robert Patrick.Credit: STAR MAX/IPx via AP

Furlong’s addiction also had a direct impact on his career, when his drug use ultimately cost him his return role as John Connor in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Yet, over the years, Furlong has been candid about that period of his life rather than trying to distance himself from it.

“I made…mistakes down the road, a lot of them being drugs and parties and all that stuff. But, I don’t know… I kind of accepted it at this point as something that has…made me who I am today,” Furlong tells PEOPLE.

That difficult history makes Furlong’s memories of Terminator 2 particularly significant. Before the addiction and legal problems, there was a teenager discovering that he loved acting and finding himself surrounded by some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

“I just found acting like very therapeutic… just really gravitated towards it,” Furlong says. “I’m blessed to have been able to, through most of my life, been able to do something that I really love doing.”

Edward Furlong.Credit: Bobby Bank/Getty

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More than three decades later, Furlong reunited with Hamilton, Michael Biehn and Robert Patrick at a Terminator 2 convention in August, giving fans another opportunity to see members of the original cast together as the film celebrates its 35th anniversary.

To this day, Furlong says he is still surprised by how deeply the movie has stayed with audiences and become “part of the zeitgeist.”

“I knew the movie was gonna be big… but, like, I had no idea that I’d still be talking to [PEOPLE], and I’m, you know, almost 50 years old, and I’m still talking about Terminator 2,” Furlong says.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”