Edward Furlong, 49, has spoken candidly about the toll of early fame in a new interview.
The actor, who was 13 when he landed his breakthrough role as John Connor in 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day, reflected on working alongside director James Cameron and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton. Furlong told the outlet that being “spoiled rotten” by Cameron as his first director shaped his entire perspective on filmmaking. “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,” he said. “It’s like you feel safe with Jim Cameron — you know it’s going to be good.”
Schwarzenegger left an equally lasting impression on the teenage Furlong through his relentless professionalism. “He just was the definition of professional,” Furlong shared. “I never, ever saw Arnold complain. He always kind of lifted the mood on set.” The actor also credited Hamilton with elevating his own performance, adding: “I think she made me that much better being able to act alongside he. I learned so much from all of them.”
Despite these positive memories, Furlong was direct about the darker side of his experience. “Growing up in the spotlight is really hard. 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,” he said.
Furlong’s struggles extended well beyond the pressures of fame. He has spoken openly about his battles with addiction, which ultimately led to his removal from 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. His personal difficulties culminated in legal trouble; he spent six months in jail in 2013 after a conviction for violating a restraining order. That case stemmed from charges of battery against an ex-girlfriend, though he reached a plea deal on assault and probation violation charges without being formally convicted of the original battery count.
The actor’s recent film credits include Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep and Heart of a Champion, according to his IMDb page.
Rather than dwelling on what might have been, Furlong framed his past difficulties as formative. He said they’ve “made me who I am today” and maintained that he has no regrets about starting his career so young. “I just found acting like very therapeutic… just really gravitated towards it,” he explained. “I’m blessed to have been able to, through most of my life, been able to do something that I really love doing.”