Billy Idol is one of the most iconic rock stars of the 80s, but he could have also been a movie star if it wasn't for a motorcycle accident that prevented him from playing a role in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”
In a recent interview with Q magazine, Idol revealed that he was cast as the shape-shifting villain T-1000 in the 1991 sci-fi blockbuster, directed by James Cameron. He even did an audition for the part, wearing a police helmet and sunglasses, and saying the line "The T-1000 lives!"
However, Idol had a serious motorcycle crash in Hollywood in 1990, which left him with a broken leg and a limp. He was unable to run after the car in one of the key scenes of the movie and had to drop out of the project. He said that it was "such a drag" to miss out on the opportunity, but he also praised Robert Patrick, who replaced him as the T-1000, for bringing a "cold veneer" that was "really robotic" to the role.
Idol also shared a funny anecdote about how his snarling persona inspired a Saturday Night Live sketch, where Sting impersonated him. Idol is still rocking on, despite his near-fatal accident. He has a new concert film, “Billy Idol: State Line,” which is streaming on Veeps.com. The film captures his performance at the Hoover Dam outside Las Vegas from this past April.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]