Arnold Schwarzenegger was an actor in action films.
Arnold Schwarzenegger . In 1984 , Schwarzenegger appeared in James Cameron 's science-fiction thriller film The Terminator , a critical and commercial success . The Terminator is a 1984 American science-fiction action film directed by James Cameron . It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator , a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor ( Linda Hamilton ) , whose son will one day become a savior against machines in a post-apocalyptic future .