Hasta la vista, Nine Inch Nails: ’Terminator 2’s’ Robert Patrick wanted “Head Like a Hole” for film’s soundtrack

If Arnold Schwarzenegger had different taste in music, Nine Inch Nails might’ve been featured on the Terminator 2 soundtrack.

In an interview with The Guardian, actor Robert Patrick, who played the villainous T-1000 in the 1991 sequel, shares that he asked director James Cameron to include NIN’s “Head Like a Hole” in the film.

“When I was making Terminator 2, I used to work out to ‘Head Like a Hole’ by Nine Inch Nails, because my younger brother, Richard Patrick, was a touring guitarist for them,” Robert recalls. Richard, of course, would then go on to form the band Filter.

When Robert pitched “Head Like a Hole” to Cameron to be included in the soundtrack, the filmmaker replied, “No. Arnold prefers Guns N’ Roses.”

GN’R, of course, would contribute their song “You Could Be Mine” to T2.

While being included on the soundtrack for the highest-grossing movie of 1991 would’ve probably been a welcomed boost for a then-up-and-coming Nine Inch Nails, it’s probably safe to say that Trent Reznor and company’s career still turned out just fine with their millions of albums sold and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And, as Robert notes, Reznor has had lots of success in the film world, too.

“It’s ironic because Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails has won a couple of Oscars for his soundtracks now,” Robert says.

By the way, Nine Inch Nails would eventually make their way into the Terminator franchise when a remixed version of their song “The Day the World Went Away” was used in the trailer for 2009’s Terminator Salvation.