Replacement Part

Meet ”Terminator 3”’s hot new star. For next summer’s certain blockbuster, Nick Stahl steps into Eddie Furlong’s shoes as John Connor

Entertainment Weekly
By Liane Bonin
April 20, 2002

In the Academy Award-nominated ”In the Bedroom,” Nick Stahl played a son who gets blown away by a bloodthirsty bully. Luckily, his character in ”Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” can turn to assassin cyborgs for protection. As John Connor (played by Edward Furlong in 1991’s ”T2”), Stahl joins Arnold Schwarzenegger for what’s likely to be next summer’s box office annihilator (the movie opens July 4, 2003). EW.com talked to Stahl, 22, about getting in shape for Ah-nuld and outgrowing his first director, Mel Gibson.

Is this the kind of role that demands abs of steel?
I’m not quite there yet, but for the first few weeks of filming I have very few scenes, so that buys me some time to get in better shape. I like physical roles like this since I need excuses to work out; I haven’t the willpower to do it on my own.

Has training forced you to cut out all bad habits?
Not really. After working out, there’s nothing like a cigarette. And I figure that your body just works that much harder if you have the lungs of a 4-year-old.

Everyone from Edward Norton to Shane West was rumored to be up for this role. How tough was the audition process?
I auditioned about five times, and there were three screen tests, which is more than I’ve done for any movie. But the director, Jonathan Mostow [''U-571''] is a pretty thorough guy — probably because everyone knows there’s going to be constant comparisons to the first two films.

Did they let you read the top-secret script before you auditioned?
The first time I did a screen test, I had to come to them, go into a room, and sign all these documents before I could even look at it. And they only let me read the first two acts. Don’t ask me anything about it, because if I tell you, someone will come to my house and kill me.

How difficult was it stepping into a role created by another actor?
I haven’t talked to Edward Furlong. The fact is, it’s been 10 years since the last movie, and people change, so it’s like creating a new character. I think audiences love these movies so much they’ll give me the benefit of the doubt.

What was it like meeting Schwarzenegger? Were you tempted to imitate him?
When you meet him you realize just how bad all those imitations are; no one else can really do him. I had these nightmares that he’d be a vicious anti-smoker and he’d throw me into the gym and scream at me, but he’s very nice and incredibly humble. He has a gym in an 18-wheeler that follows him wherever he goes, and he said I could use it. I may take him up on that.

You made your feature debut as the little boy in ”Man Without A Face.” Do you ever see your costar/director Mel Gibson?
It’s not like we go to bars and hang out. I saw him at an after-party not long ago, and it was great to see him. But it was weird — I’m actually taller than he is now.