Fact Check: Was O.J. Simpson ever cast in The Terminator? History explored 

Rumors have often circulated that O.J. Simpson was a contender for the starring role in The Terminator series. The former NFL running back, and one of the most polarizing figures in American history, O.J. Simpson also had an acting career that was taking off before being embroiled in controversy in June 1994. Simpson was the NFL MVP in 1973, and he was arrested for two murders the following year in 1974.

While he was acquitted in the criminal trial, a civil suit held him guilty of the deaths, after which he was convicted 33 years of life imprisonment in 2008. While Simpson may be the most controversial figure that the NFL gave the mainstream, he was also known for being an actor. He was even rumored to have been the first choice for the lead role in The Terminator franchise.

The claim arose after the eventual lead, Arnold Schwarzenegger, said in 2009 that OJ was the first choice, sparking a frenzy among the franchise's long-term fans. The rumor has finally been addressed by James Cameron, the director, who claimed during a recent interview on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace that the rumors were only partly true.

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James Cameron claims O.J. Simpson was deemed 'unsuitable' for The Terminator franchise

While Arnold Schwarzenegger's claims had led to disbelief among fans, Cameron revealed that the story is partly true. The Austrian actor eventually portrayed the titular role. It became arguably the most famous portrayal of his career and one of his most iconic roles. Schwarzenegger had said the following during an interview with The Independent,

"It was actually O.J. Simpson that was the first-cast Terminator... Somehow [James Cameron] felt that he was not as believable for a killing machine. So then they hired me. That's really what happened."

However, James Cameron, who was working on the series even before Arnold Schwarzenegger had been finalized, delved into the story a bit deeper. He claimed that he had shrugged off the idea right from the beginning, and things had not been anywhere close to being finalized as Schwarzenegger suggested.

"Very early on, a highly placed person at one of the two studios that funded that film had a brilliant idea and called me up and said, 'Are you sitting down?' I said, 'Well, no, I'm not.' He said, 'Are you sitting? O.J. Simpson for the Terminator!' I said, 'I actually think that's a bad idea.' It didn't go anywhere."

Cameron has worked on a range of blockbuster projects, including the DCEU, the Avatar franchise, and The Transformers. Cameron explained further that he simply did not see O.J. Simpson as the face of the franchise.

"I didn't make the painting for him. I made the painting for us, for the production, of him as the Terminator," Cameron said. "There's no O.J. under that painting… O.J. Simpson was never in the mix at all. That was rejected out of hand before it ever got any traction."

James Cameron's statement revealed that O.J. Simpson was nothing but a fleeting suggestion. Hence, regardless of what the actor claimed, Cameron had his mind set straight from the start.