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“There’s like a magic thing with [Terminator 2: Judgment Day], it’s crazy. Even today kids are still coming up to me loving that movie! I haven’t seen it in…I couldn’t tell you. I can’t even remember. But it’s just one of those movies that holds up so well. It’s timeless.” Child actor Edward Furlong rose to fame with his portrayal of young John Connor in the blockbuster movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day. After following up the hit movie with several other critically acclaimed roles, however, he fell victim to many of the same legal troubles that have plagued other child stars.

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While it’s been 28 years since Edward Furlong was part of the Terminator franchise, it was recently announced that he’d reprise his John Connor role in the forthcoming Terminator: Dark Fate. Is this the comeback Furlong's been waiting for? Here’s a closer look at where he’s been and what’s up next. 

From Childhood to John Connor

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Edward Furlong was born on August 2, 1977 in Glendale, California. His mother, Eleanor Torres, worked in a youth center. Furlong spent much of his childhood in the custody of his aunt, Nancy Tafoya, and uncle, Sean Furlong. The to also served as Furlong’s managers when his acting career launched.

Furlong was just 13 when he was discovered by the casting director for Terminator 2: Judgment Day at the Pasadena Boys and Girls Club in 1990. He was cast as John Connor, and the rest is movie-making history. Furlong experienced huge success with Terminator 2 winning both Saturn and MTV Movie Awards for his breakthrough performance. 

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Furlong followed up Terminator 2 with a number of high-profile movies, including Before and After with Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson; Little Odessa with Tim Roth, Maximilian Schell, and Vanessa Redgrave; American Heart with Jeff Bridges; A Home of Our Own with Kathy Bates;  Pet Sematary Two with Anthony Edwards and Clancy Brown; Pecker with Christina Ricci; American History X with Edward Norton; Detroit Rock City; Animal Factor; Brainscan; and The Grass Harp.Furlong has said of the diversity of roles he’s taken on, “I enjoy playing people that are totally different than me. It’s a challenge to get inside these people’s heads and wonder why they would have these beliefs.” 

Furlong’s work continued to receive critical acclaim, including an Independent Spirit Award nomination for American Heart and a second Saturn Award nomination for Pet Sematary Two. He also won a Young Artist Award for A Home of Our Own, and received ACCA and Young Artist Award nominations for his work in American History X. 

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Furlong has also appeared in two music videos:  Aerosmith's  “Livin’ on the Edge” and Metallica’s “That Unnamed Feeling.” He's also a musician in his own right. In 1992, Furlong released an album in Japan called "Hold on Tight." Still popular in Japan today, the album’s debut song not only rose to the top of the Japanese charts, but beat out Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” in the process.

In addition to acting and music, Furlong also modeled in campaigns for Gap and Calvin Klein. 

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In an interview when Furlong was just 16, he appeared to be well-adjusted despite his meteoric rise to fame. “'I can't say I miss having a normal life as a working actor. I don't know if I had a normal life as a young kid. A lot of people think Hollywood is all glamour and it isn't. It's a lot of hard work and there's a lot of slime involved too. There are some really hard parts about Hollywood. Hollywood is based on money. Every business is. The great thing about (show business) for me is the acting itself and learning things all the time,” he said.

A Career Decline and a Possible Comeback

While the 1990s were good years for Furlong, the 2000s saw his career in considerable decline. In addition to seeing most of his films going straight to DVD, Furlong had a huge setback when he was set to reprise the role of John Connor in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. However, the part was recast just before the start of filming. His starring role in the fourth film in The Crow series, The Crow: Wicked Prayer, was also accompanied by disappointment after it was widely panned by critics and lasted just one week in limited theaters. 

Unfortunately, child stars are often plagued by personal challenges, and Furlong is no exception. He struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction, entering rehab for the first time in 2000. He later said of his addictions, “I don't even think about (partying) anymore. It seems lonely now: running and clubbing and doing coke. I have nightmares about doing hard drugs. I'll wake up and I'm like, 'Did I relapse?'" Even more troubling? Furlong’s issues didn’t end with addiction. He has also been arrested and charged with multiple other offenses, including felony domestic violence as well as misdemeanor battery. 

“I'm lucky because I never even thought about being an actor. Even if I never act again, the experience is worth it,” Furlong said at the height of his success. Now, however, he’s expressed interest in getting back into the game. His response when asked what he had in the pipeline? “I’ve been slow this last year and a half working on getting my life back on track and getting sober. Hopefully, things will turn around!”

Furlong’s optimism and perseverance were rewarded shortly after with the announcement that he’d return to the Terminator franchise for Dark Fate. Still, only time will tell whether a career comeback is in the cards for Furlong. “It hasn't been a totally smooth road, but in the whole span of things I feel like a very lucky person,” he said.