Edward Furlong has publicly detailed the night he says cost him the John Connor role in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. He was lined up to return opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton and had signed his first multimillion-dollar contract, which included a no-drugs clause. He planned one final night of partying before committing to the project, hoping to get clean afterward.
At a club, Furlong drank heavily and used cocaine in a bathroom, realizing he had taken too much and then collapsed on the club floor. He says that moment led to losing the Terminator role.
The production timeline and the cast shift
Nick Stahl ultimately replaced Furlong as John Connor. Terminator 3 began production in 2002 and arrived in theaters in 2003. The absence of Furlong’s John Connor affected the continuity of the earlier films, with Stahl taking the part in the completed film and later actors such as Christian Bale and Jason Clarke portraying John Connor in subsequent installments.
Aftermath and recovery
Furlong’s likeness later appeared as a younger John Connor in Terminator: Dark Fate, though this did not represent the hoped-for comeback. He has spoken openly about his addiction and recovery and has been sober for years.
