One of the most popular movie franchises of all time is James Cameron’s Terminator. In addition to making Arnold Schwarzenegger a bona fide movie star, the Terminator franchise has also grossed billions of dollars and become one of the longest-running franchises in Hollywood history. In the sci-fi film canon, it is a staple, and for some actors, actresses, and other celebrity figures, a career opportunity of a lifetime. Billy Idol nearly became a fixture of the franchise, but on this day, February 6, 1990, a motorcycle crash prevented him from appearing on the silver screen.
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On this day, 36 years ago, Billy Idol ran a stop sign on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Consequently, another driver struck Idol and caused a severe injury to one of his legs. As a matter of fact, that injury was so severe that Idol nearly lost his leg.
Recalling the accident, Idol stated, “It was a particularly horrible, painful time, when I really didn’t know what was going to happen. I didn’t quite know if I could save my leg or whether it was going to be cut off.” ” I’d really seriously damaged my leg, and I could have died in the accident. I was in the hospital for a month, and I had seven operations,” via Yahoo Entertainment.
The Role Billy Idol Lost as a Result of the Accident
The role Billy Idol lost was not just some supporting role. Rather, it was the role of arguably the greatest villain in the franchise’s history, T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Given Idol’s inherently icy aesthetic and disposition, he would have been a perfect fit for the iconic role. However, following the accident, Robert Patrick stepped in and did a terrific job.
Further recalling the state of mind and unhealthy habits he indulged in at the time, Idol added, “It was a bit of a watershed time for me. I had to change my life, had to think about things…I was going to kill myself, or I was going to go crazy, or be locked up forever. The motorcycle accident was a good sign of ‘You’ve got to stop.”
Luckily, Idol started his sobriety journey following the accident. Furthermore, he went on to star in films such as The Wedding Singer and The Doors. While the accident was certainly a blessing in disguise for Billy Idol, it would have been quite something to see him chase down Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton in the second-best Terminator film.
Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images
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