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The ‘Terminator’ Reboot Adds Three Fresh Faces

These industry unknowns are about to get a mega break.
The Terminator
By  · Published on April 16th, 2018

Three Latinx actors have just been tapped for the Terminator reboot, according to Deadline.  Gabriel Luna (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) will take on the role of a new Terminator model, while Diego Boneta (Rock of Ages) and Natalia Reyes (Pickpockets) are also set to star in the movie, which will see the return of original star Linda Hamilton as well as franchise staple Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The exciting thing is just how fresh-faced all the new additions are. Let’s take a quick look at who’s who among the new cast members.

Gabriel Luna

Having appeared in the El Rey series Matador and a smattering of films such as Jack Black’s Bernie, Luna has probably garnered himself the most exposure after nabbing a recurring role as Ghost Rider in the fourth season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Ghost Rider is so far the most easily recognizable comic character to join that show in a non-cameo capacity, and Luna’s portrayal provided an easy segue for the series to shift towards darker material that’s more reminiscent of Marvel’s mostly praised Netflix series.

The Terminator film would be a great next step for Luna, one that allows him to add yet another iconic character to his filmography. And as always, BossLogic is one step ahead of the game when it comes to getting everyone hyped with the fan posters, bringing to life a brilliant take on Luna’s visage as the Terminator.

Diego Boneta Scream Queens

Boneta’s road to stardom has been a little more uneven. The musical Rock of Ages should have rightfully been his breakthrough role — director Adam Shankman even compared the actor to the likes of Channing Tatum and Zac Efron in terms of his potential to achieve teen idol status. But the movie received a tepid response.

Boneta’s next higher-profile role was in the comedy horror series Scream Queens. Additionally, he has acted in the Mexican telenovela Rebelde and the teen drama Before I Fall. None of his work has yet reached the degree of fandom that the Terminator series has. Let’s just hope he fares better than Jai Courtney.

Natalia Reyes Lady La Vendedora De Rosas

Reyes is the least-known actor out of the three, with the Terminator reboot primed to be her Hollywood big break. Her work has so far spanned projects in Latin America, with a particularly well-received turn playing the lead in the Colombian biographical drama series Lady, La Vendedora de Rosas. She also starred in the teen drama Pickpockets, which just released on Netflix worldwide this month.

Little by little, the pieces of this reboot are falling into place. Director Tim Miller (Deadpool) and creator James Cameron, who is producing his first installment of the series since Terminator 2, are determined to prioritize characterization over the confusing overarching timeline of the post-Judgement Day movies. The story will also incorporate 21st-century anxieties, including the rapid evolution of technology and fears of a nuclear apocalypse, echoing the themes that made Cameron’s own Terminator films so enduring.

The reboot will notably have two leading women as well. Mackenzie Davis was cast in early March, and as initial reports hinted at a co-lead of Latin American descent, Reyes can be presumed to be playing the second protagonist. The Terminator franchise birthed one of the most iconic female action heroes in history with Hamilton’s Sarah Connor, but it’s still been incredibly male-dominated otherwise. So, the more female characters the reboot has, the better.

And if this time the movie is better, that could be very good for these fresh-faced actors. The first two installments of the Terminator franchise helped make major stars out of Hamilton, Schwarzenegger, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong. The lesser sequels weren’t as beneficial to any careers, though. Hopefully, with Cameron’s involvement the reboot can be more like his installments and be positive for the careers of Luna, Boneta, and Reyes.

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Sheryl Oh often finds herself fascinated (and let's be real, a little obsessed) with actors and their onscreen accomplishments, developing Film School Rejects' Filmographies column as a passion project. She's not very good at Twitter but find her at @sherhorowitz anyway. (She/Her)