Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
Image credit: T3: Robert Zuckerman

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Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

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But nothing in ''T3'' bears Schwarzenegger's creative stamp more than his epic tussle with the Terminatrix, a battle that begins in a bathroom. The sequence was made longer and more elaborate thanks to the actor's largesse -- and his singular imagination.

''As we were rehearsing, I saw this toilet bowl,'' says Schwarzenegger, an impish smile crossing his face. ''How many times do you get away with this -- to take a woman, grab her upside down, and bury her face in a toilet bowl? I wanted to have something floating in there,'' he adds. Apparently, he was vetoed. ''They thought it was my typical 'Schwarzenegger overboard,''' he says. ''The thing is, you can do it, because in the end, I didn't do it to a woman -- she's a machine!? We could get away with it without being crucified by who-knows-what group.'' (Note to California's Democratic strategists: The soccer-mom set is now yours for the taking!)

''Fighting Arnold was a bit of a mind trip,'' says Loken, 23, heretofore a TV nomad (recurring roles include ''Philly'' and ''Law & Order'') who studied mime and martial arts to play her deathbot. ''It took a while to decompress from that feeling. But I felt like I could pretty much handle anything after that.''

And so, the campaign begins. But not for governor. Not yet, at least. ''I'm not even thinking about it right now,'' says Schwarzenegger. He has said that if he runs for governor in 2006, he will walk away from Hollywood. But when you ask him if ''T3'' could be one of the last major films on his résumé, he blanches. He tells you that he is in preproduction on ''Westworld,'' a remake of the 1973 sci-fi flick, and that once the Wachowskis wrap ''The Matrix Revolutions,'' they will produce ''King Conan'' for him. ''This town,'' he says, ''is going to see me around for a long time.''

In other words, he'll be back.

(This is an online-only excerpt from a story in Entertainment Weekly's July 11, 2003 issue.)

Originally posted Jun 30, 2003 Published in issue #718 Jul 11, 2003 Order article reprints
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