In the run up to the release of TERMINATOR: DARK FATE, there has been a lot of talk about the ways in which the new film is building on the legacy of the franchise — not just by erasing everything from the continuity except for the first two movies, but also bringing back writer/producer James Cameron, as well as stars Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong and Arnold Schwarzenegger. As exciting as their involvement is, though, there is also a lot to anticipate from the film because of all the new actors who are joining the legendary series for the first time.
To tell his new story about time-traveling robots and fighting against an apocalyptic future, director Tim Miller has assembled an excellent cast of up-and-coming stars, all of whom have cool parts to play in TERMINATOR: DARK FATE:
Mackenzie Davis (Grace)
In a role similar to Michael Biehn’s Kyle Reese in James Cameron’s original THE TERMINATOR, Mackenzie Davis plays Grace, a human who has been sent back from the future in order to stop an assassination. But there is one particular aspect of her character that is very different. Instead of being a human, she is actually a cyborg who has enhanced strength, speed and durability courtesy of implanted advanced technology. She’s not quite Terminator-level, but she can hold her own in a fight far longer than your average person. What’s more, she has a powerful bearing lent to her courtesy of Davis, who gets to showcase some very serious ass-kicking abilities after more dramatic turns in science-fiction films like THE MARTIAN and BLADE RUNNER 2049.
Natalia Reyes (Dani)
American audiences at large probably aren't familiar with Natalia Reyes' body of work thus far, both because she is a young actress and because all of her film and television work to date has been in Spanish. That will change in a major way with the release of TERMINATOR: DARK FATE, of course, where everyone will get to know her as Dani Ramos. The Sarah Connor to Grace’s Kyle Reese, Dani discovers early in the movie that her survival is massively important for the future of the human race, and is terrified to find herself on the run from a murderous piece of futuristic technology.
Diego Boneta (Diego)
Recognizable from the series "Scream Queens" and his role as the lead in ROCK OF AGES, Diego Boneta is also a new member of the TERMINATOR franchise as part of DARK FATE’s cast. The character is also named Diego, but his last name is Ramos — and if it’s not obvious, that’s because he’s Dani’s brother. They work together at an automobile manufacturing plant, and he’s there when the titular horrible machine starts getting closer and closer to its target. Speaking of which…
Gabriel Luna (Rev-9)
We have obviously seen many kinds of insanely dangerous killer robots in this franchise before, but the model played by Gabriel Luna is a new and scary beast. The Rev-9 is fast, strong and nearly indestructible like most Terminators, but it’s also outfitted with a special ability. Similar to Robert Patrick’s T-1000 from TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, the Rev-9 has a liquid metal component to its design that allows it to easily enter and exit any space. But what makes it extra special is that it can remotely control its own endoskeleton. This means that any one-on-one fight can immediately become a two-on-one fight, with the machine having the advantage. And it’s all sold with a perfectly cold, stoic, menacing turn by Luna, best known for his TV work on shows like Marvel’s "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." (where he played Robbie Reyes, aka Ghost Rider) and "True Detective."
TERMINATOR: DARK FATE is in theatres now.
