Having worked with director James Cameron on two game-changing blockbusters already, Arnold Schwarzenegger had an implicit trust in the filmmaker’s vision. However, he also had occasional reservations, especially when Cameron said he wanted Jamie Lee Curtis in True Lies. In an hour-long interview for Vanity Fair, Cameron reflected on his career and recalled how difficult it was to get Schwarzenegger to agree to Curtis’s casting in the movie. The star eventually gave in, but was “frosty” during the meeting and not entirely convinced until a few days into filming. Cameron was put in a further tight spot when Curtis’ people asked for equal billing for her, something he was sure Schwarzenegger would reject instantly.
He said that in hindsight, it seemed like a no-brainer to cast Curtis as Helen in the movie, but Schwarzenegger’s gut feeling wasn’t entirely embraced. Cameron said that he even screen-tested a few alternates after Schwarzenegger let it be known (through his agent) that he wasn’t on board with Curtis’ casting. But he eventually kept going back to her. In his own words:
“What was interesting about it was finding his Helen. First person that came to my mind was Jamie Lee Curtis. So obvious in retrospect, right? She crushed it. But, Arnold said, ‘I don’t think so’. I didn’t hear it from him; I heard it from his agent. ‘Arnold doesn’t want Jamie. She’s too beautiful; I don’t buy her as a housewife’. So now, I start seeing every actress of that age who could conceivably play Helen. Met a lot of great actresses, narrowed it down to a couple, did a few screen tests. But I watched a tape of one of Jamie’s movies again, and I was sure she’s Helen. I flew back to L.A. and called Arnold for a meeting. I asked him, ‘Do you trust me?’ And he said he did, and I told him it had to be Jamie. He said okay, got up, shook my hand and walked out. It was a bit frosty, but it was cool. He accepted it. He worked with her and she just became Helen. He came up to me after three days of shooting and said, ‘I was wrong’.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger Surprised James Cameron Once Again
Cameron said there was a “kicker” to the story that put him in a tight spot with his leading man once again. And once again, Schwarzenegger surprised him. “Jamie had gotten her agent to get her a deal where they asked for her above-the-title with Arnold in the credits. And I said, ‘He’s never going to agree to that’. Her agent said they’d be satisfied if I asked him during post-production; like a best effort thing. I asked Arnold, ‘Would you consider putting Jamie’s name above the title with you?’ There was a silence, and he said, ‘Jamie is spectacular in the movie. The movie is what it is because of her, and I’m honored to have her above the title with me’,” he said.
Released in 1994, True Lies followed Cameron’s already established status as a major force with Aliens, The Terminator, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The action-comedy was produced on a reported budget of around $120 million, and it ended up grossing a massive $380 million worldwide. True Lies remains an underrated entry on Cameron’s resume, but it has its cult of fans, and it received mostly positive reviews upon release. Cameron is now gearing up for the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash in theaters next month. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Release Date
July 15, 1994
Runtime
141 minutes
Director
James Cameron
Writers
James Cameron