Arnold Schwarzenegger and Emilia Clarke have landed in Seoul to promote the summer blockbuster “Terminator Genisys“ directed by Alan Taylor, the fifth installment in the “Terminator” franchise.

As an actor who has become an icon through the “Terminator” series and a new face taking on the legendary role of Sarah Connor, they shared their different thoughts and experiences about the movie at a press conference at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Seoul, ahead of the local red carpet to be held Thursday night.

“I was very excited when I was asked if I was interested in doing another ‘Terminator,’” said Schwarzenegger. “I made it very clear to them that I would be delighted ... but it is very important that they have a great script and a great story.”

“When I was sent the script and I read it, I was over the moon about how creatively it was written and the great suspense, the surprises, the emotional roller coaster ride, the great action and the way I was written,” he said. “I was a Terminator who is a protector, who (Clarke) calls ‘Pops,’ and a Terminator who, that is also an evil machine, fighting for the machines. There is also an epic battle between the two Terminators, which I think people will enjoy.”

Meanwhile, Clarke described the prospect of playing Sarah Connor as a “double-edged sword.”

”I definitely felt a huge amount of pressure going into the movie, but one of the reasons I wanted to take on the role was because the iconic-ness that Linda Hamilton created in the first two movies inspired me,“ she said, referring to the first actress who brought Sarah Connor to life. ”The thing I prepared for most with this movie was that this Sarah Connor had such a different life experience coming into this movie. The Terminator went back to try and kill her parents at such a young age that it‘s changed her character, while maintaining the essence of who she was.“

In the film, John Connor (Jason Clarke), the leader of the human resistance, sends his right-hand Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back in time to protect his mother Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke). To Reese’s surprise, Sarah is already being guarded by a T-800 Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger).

Together, they kick-start a plan to bring down the machines with the help of the Guardian.

Clarke said that the relationship between Sarah and the Guardian, or Pops, was central to her character. ”It‘s a beautiful father-daughter relationship that anchors this huge action spectacle of a movie and gives a gorgeous heart to it,“ she said, saying that she loved being able to bring out the sensitive side of the fierce character.

Fans in Korea will have a little extra fun with the movie, with a brief but very interesting fight sequence in the first half featuring Korean star Lee Byung-hun, who plays a T-1000 Terminator.

(Lee) was such a joy to work with. He was incredible,” said Clarke. “There weren’t very many special effects for the movements that he naturally had.”

“I remember vividly that first sequence I got to film with him. He was kind of mind-blowing. I spent a lot of time just watching him and reminding myself that I had to be acting.”

Schwarzenegger said he believed the continued success of the “Terminator” series could be credited to people‘s admiration for the machines.

“If you think about the first Terminator, the things he did was just extraordinary. Even though it was a villain, people admired the strength. They wanted a part of them to be like a machine, to have that memory, that quick thinking, quick reactions, quick solutions to problems and to have those fighting skills and less vulnerabilities.”

“People are fascinated with the character, and that’s why they keep coming back to see the movie.”

However, he did not say whether a sequel would be coming.

“I only take one Terminator at a time,” Schwarzenegger said. “I do not even think of another one. Even though I (would) look forward to it, we have to make sure there‘s a demand by the audience, by the fans, rather than us just saying we’ll do another ‘Terminator.’ The important thing is that people enjoy this one, and that it‘s successful worldwide.”

“Terminator Genisys” opened in local theaters Thursday.


By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)