'Terminator' star Gabriel Luna on working with Arnold Schwarzenegger
The men will face off in 'Terminator: Dark Fate' out this fall
There’s a new Terminator in town and he’s taking notes. Gabriel Luna will star in this fall’s Terminator: Dark Fate alongside the legendary AI machine, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although the former governor of California is 72-years-old, the 36-year-old actor knew he had to be in the best shape of his life when it came time to go head-to-head. “I knew I had to get my body into a good place, because at the time, I was drinking whiskey and smoking cigarettes and all this other stuff I didn’t need to be doing if I intended to play this role,” Gabriel told Men’s Health.
“I know I’d eventually have to stand in front of this guy and my motivation was, I want him to see me and see a formidable foe. I don’t want him to see me and think, I could squash this guy with my thumbs.” When it came to meeting the legendary star, Gabriel realized that he had nothing to worry about. “You can easily be overwhelmed, because he’s a historical figure,” he shared. “But he doesn’t place himself on a pedestal that way. He always makes sure to look at people eye-to-eye. And in doing so, I think you disarm the craziness, y’know?”
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Stepping into the role over 30 years later, Gabriel needed to turn to the man himself for advice. “I only asked him once, when we were in the gym, and he let it be known to me that he wanted me to create something of my own,” the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D star shared.
“But what he was able to offer when I pressed him a little further was that it’s effortless. Everything has to be done in an effortless way. When you fire a weapon, you fire it from the hip – there’s no reason to look down the sight [of your gun], because you have a target already, in your eyes…No blinking, just automatic gunfire.”
