The Terminator was one of the most well-known and best-loved Sci-fi films of the 80s and helped to cement Arnold Schwarzenegger as a superstar of the action movie genre. The film followed the story of Sarah Connor, who is targeted by a cyborg sent back from the future to kill her before she can give birth to her son, John, who will go on to stop the Terminator threat.

The film performed well at the box office and is still very popular today, with a string of sequels, and plenty of arguments over whether this is the defining Terminator film, or whether that accolade belongs to Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

The other thing that The Terminator got very right was its cast which were given perfectly to the actors who filled their roles. The cast certainly helped as they came across with a real chemistry that helped the film to be the success it was. Let’s take a look back at the characters from The Terminator and what the cast who played them look like now….

Sarah Connor – Linda Hamilton

The main character in the film and the woman who will go on to give birth to John Connor, the saviour of the human race. As the film progresses we see Sarah Connor become a very different person. Linda Hamilton still looks great today and recent publicity shots have even shown her in her get-up for the new Terminator film in which she is set to make a long-awaited return!

Kyle Reese – Michael Biehn

He came back from the future to save Sarah Connor from the titular Terminator, and had fallen in love with her before they even met. What he didn’t realise was that he would also play a big part in the survival of the human race as he became the father of John Connor! Michael Biehn has continued to act over the years and still appears on our screens quite regularly.

The Terminator – Arnold Schwarzenegger

The cyborg that is sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor, Arnold Schwarzenegger has barely any lines in the film and yet was an ominous and menacing presence on screen and made the role his own. Schwarzenegger became one of the biggest action heroes of all time, then governor of California and is now getting back in to acting again, soon to be reprising this role yet again!

Det. Hal Vukovich – Lance Henriksen

The detective that tries to help Sarah and actually puts her in harm’s way by keeping her away from her protector, Kyle Reese. Lance Henriksen has gone on to star in many productions over the years and loves a part in a Sci-fi or horror project!

Ginger Ventura – Bess Motta

Sarah Connor’s flatmate who has a small role in the film and soon meets an early demise at the hands of The Terminator. Bess Motta has gone on to have a career spanning acting, singing and keep-fit, so she is certainly multi-talented.

Matt Buchanan – Rick Rossovich

Ginger’s boyfriend, he also wasn’t in the film long before The Terminator came in and killed the pair post-coitally. Rick Rossovich has been acting on and off since the Terminator though he has had big gaps in his acting DV, he has started to act more regularly again recently.

Dr. Peter Silberman – Earl Boen

The psychiatrist that doesn’t believe a word of what Kyle Reese says and thinks him to be delusional, Earl Boen was perfect in this role and played him again in two other Terminator films. Earl Boen is a very recognisable actor both physically and vocally and he has used this well in more than 250 roles that span the big and small screen, voice acting for animations and also video games.

The Terminator is a classic film, and most people of the era love it, are you a fan? Who is your favourite character and why? Let us know all of your thoughts in the comments and don’t forget… I’ll be back!