Terminator Cast: Who Played Who in Every Film

Arnold Schwarzenegger is in the top billed cast of five of the six Terminator films, and Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Edward Furlong and Robert Patrick lead The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). Billing numbers follow TMDB credit order, so some numbers are skipped, and character names follow TMDB credits. If you are searching for one role, the terminator characters index gives each main figure a page of their own.

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the Terminator, Michael Biehn plays Kyle Reese and Linda Hamilton plays Sarah Connor in The Terminator (1984). James Cameron directed the film, and Paul Winfield plays Traxler, Lance Henriksen plays Vukovich and Earl Boen plays Silberman in support. The full film page for the terminator 1984 covers the plot and release details.

Schwarzenegger plays The Terminator, Hamilton plays Sarah Connor, Edward Furlong plays John Connor and Robert Patrick plays the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). Cameron directed this one as well, and Hamilton moves up to second billing. Joe Morton plays Miles Dyson, S. Epatha Merkerson plays Tarissa Dyson, and Boen returns as Dr. Silberman. See terminator 2 judgment day for the film itself.

Schwarzenegger plays The Terminator, Nick Stahl plays John Connor, Claire Danes plays Kate Brewster and Kristanna Loken plays the T-X in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). Jonathan Mostow directed the film, and Boen plays Dr. Peter Silberman, his third appearance in the role. The film is covered at terminator 3 rise of the machines.

Christian Bale plays John Connor, Sam Worthington plays Marcus Wright, Moon Bloodgood plays Blair Williams and Anton Yelchin plays Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation (2009). McG directed the film, and it is the one entry in which Schwarzenegger is not among the top billed cast. Bryce Dallas Howard plays Kate Connor (billing 8) and Michael Ironside plays General Ashdown (billing 10). The film page is terminator salvation.

Schwarzenegger plays Guardian / The Terminator, Jason Clarke plays John Connor, Emilia Clarke plays Sarah Connor and Jai Courtney plays Kyle Reese in Terminator Genisys (2015). Alan Taylor directed the film. J.K. Simmons plays O'Brien, Courtney B. Vance plays Miles Dyson, Lee Byung-hun plays Cop / T-1000 and Matt Smith plays Alex / Skynet. Details are at terminator genisys.

Hamilton plays Sarah Connor, Schwarzenegger plays T-800 / Carl, Mackenzie Davis plays Grace and Natalia Reyes plays Daniella "Dani" Ramos in Terminator: Dark Fate (2019). Tim Miller directed the film, and Gabriel Luna plays Gabriel / REV-9, Diego Boneta plays Diego Ramos and Tom Hopper plays Hadrell (billing 11). Fox News reported that the film came 28 years after Hamilton and Schwarzenegger last shared the screen. The film page is terminator dark fate.

Five directors have made the six Terminator films: James Cameron directed The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Jonathan Mostow directed Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), McG directed Terminator Salvation (2009), Alan Taylor directed Terminator Genisys (2015) and Tim Miller directed Terminator: Dark Fate (2019).

Cameron is the only director to make more than one Terminator film, and the budgets show how far the series grew under him. The Terminator was made on a budget of $6.4 million and earned about $78 million worldwide, combining the domestic gross from Box Office Mojo with the international figure from The Numbers. Terminator 2: Judgment Day cost $102 million and earned about $519 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.

Mostow, McG, Taylor and Miller each directed one film. For the order in which these stories unfold, see terminator movies in order, and for the wider series overview visit the terminator movies hub.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is the only actor in the top billed cast of five Terminator films, Linda Hamilton and Earl Boen each appear in three, and John Connor, Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor have each been recast. John Connor, Kyle Reese, Sarah Connor, the T-1000 and Miles Dyson are the characters played by more than one actor.

John Connor has had the most changes, with four actors across four films, while Kyle Reese has three. Sarah Connor, the T-1000 and Miles Dyson each have two performers.

The most direct recast happened during filming. TV Guide reported that Claire Danes replaced the actress Bush three weeks into production of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and CBS News reported the change was made because Bush was a bit too young for the part of Kate Brewster. Claire Danes is billed third in the finished film.

In my opinion, the steadiest casting in the saga is Boen. Earl Boen is the only supporting actor to play the same character, Dr. Silberman, in three films: he plays Silberman in The Terminator (1984), Dr. Silberman in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Dr. Peter Silberman in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). That makes him the thread that links the Cameron films to Mostow's.

James Cameron said in December 2025, as reported by The A.V. Club, that he is working on a new Terminator that would not star Schwarzenegger. No cast, director, studio or title has been announced for it. Status updates sit on the new terminator movie page.