Edward Furlong says James Cameron spoiled him rotten by being the first director he ever worked with

If you were cast in one of the best films ever made before you were old enough to legally drink, you might get a bit of a warped outlook on showbiz too. Edward Furlong has been looking back on his time making Terminator 2: Judgment Day — yes, it turns 35 this year, which is frankly enough to push anyone into an existential crisis — and surprisingly, he sounds both grateful and realistic about his teen star years.

As Furlong put it in an interview with PEOPLE: '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. It's like you feel safe with Jim Cameron — you know it's going to be good.'

Life on the T2 Set

Furlong was only 13 when he landed the gig of a lifetime, and he’s the first to say he got a bit of a head start most young actors can only dream of. Working on a James Cameron set isn’t exactly standard-issue introduction to moviemaking. He credits Cameron — 'Jim', as he calls him — for being one of those rare directors who genuinely know what they’re doing, which apparently puts the cast at ease. Fair play. Wouldn’t mind a boss like that myself.

On top of that, Furlong remembers being surrounded by serious pros. Arnold Schwarzenegger, already a megastar by then, turned out to be ridiculously professional, never complaining even when the going got tough, and apparently good at lifting everyone’s spirits on set. (No surprises there, really — Arnie’s one of nature’s unstoppable forces.) Linda Hamilton must’ve been intimidating for a young actor, but he gives her credit for upping his game as an actor: apparently acting opposite her meant he had to level up — or at least try to keep up.

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• Terminator 2: Judgment Day hit cinemas in 1991 and made Furlong a household name overnight.
• James Cameron returned as director, with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton leading the cast, joined by Michael Biehn and Robert Patrick.
• The film turns 35 in 2026, which probably makes you feel ancient too.

The Price of Early Success

Not to depress everyone, but Furlong’s early fame came with a predictably rough come-down. He talks about just how brutal it is growing up in the public eye, especially as a teenager who probably would’ve made a mess of things privately anyway. According to him, even adults can barely handle that kind of scrutiny — and for a kid, it’s a minefield. If you followed his career at all, you’ll know the 2010s weren’t his finest decade, with legal headaches and far too much time spent wrestling with addiction.

Things took a turn in 2016 when he finally got sober thanks to a recovery programme. By February 2025, he could say he’d reached seven years clean — which, given his history, is genuinely impressive. It’s not easy to drag yourself back from that edge and not everyone does. For what it’s worth, he really seems to be staying on track these days.

Furlong was proud to mark seven years sober in early 2025, after years spent trying to escape addiction and legal drama.

Celebrating 35 Years Later

As for more cheerful news, Furlong and the original T2 cast (Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Robert Patrick) all managed a proper reunion last August. The get-together happened at a Terminator 2 convention, which sounds exactly like the sort of full-circle moment and nostalgia fest fans live for. Plenty of reminiscing, stories from Cameron’s set, some laughs — the lot.

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