Robert Patrick Recalls How He Landed the Role of the T-1000 in ‘Terminator 2’

Robert Patrick still considers his role as the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day one of the biggest opportunities of his career.

The 1991 James Cameron film was originally considering rocker Billy Idol for the shape-shifting villain. Idol had auditioned for the role, but a serious motorcycle accident in 1990 left him with a limp and unable to perform the running required for the film.

Cameron then decided to cast an unknown actor, which ultimately led to Patrick. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Patrick said he knew the film would be special as soon as he received the audition.

Because the project was kept secret, Patrick did not initially know much about the role. After Cameron finally allowed him to read the script, Patrick realized he was playing the new Terminator, sent back to kill John Connor.

Patrick, now 67, described getting the role as “a thrill of a lifetime” and said he still cannot believe how everything came together.

Idol later said he was disappointed that his injury prevented him from taking the part. However, he praised Patrick’s performance, saying the actor brought a “cold veneer” and a robotic quality that he could not have provided.

Patrick went on to build a long career in film and television, appearing in projects including The X-Files, Scorpion, Peacemaker, Walk the Line, and Flags of Our Fathers.