Edward Furlong became a star in the 90s thanks to his role in "Terminator 2". But shortly thereafter, the drugs determine the life of the young actor. In an interview, the 44-year-old now talks about the low points in his life.
Edward Furlong's film debut in 1991's "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger made him an overnight teen star. The then 14-year-old played the role of 10-year-old John Connor, future leader of humanity in the fight against machines. The up-and-coming actor later landed lucrative roles in "Little Odessa" (1994), "The Grass Harp" (1995) and "American History X" (1998) - but after the turn of the millennium his drug addiction increasingly affected his career. Furlong has now spoken to the British "Daily Mail" about his years of addiction.
Accordingly, his consumption started at a young age, at a time when he "didn't have too many people to take care of me and I had to run around wildly," says Furlong. He started with weed, alcohol, and shrooms before exploring cocaine and heroin in his 20s. "When I was high, I socialized with other people. I just drank and partied. Suddenly I felt like I was with people and somehow I belonged. That's how it started," added the now 44-year-old.
Shortly thereafter, he "was smoking tons of heroin, meth and DMT all the time. I was like that all day," Furlong told the Daily Mail. His career went downhill from then on. Furlong had to give up roles several times, in "Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines" (2003) he was replaced by Nick Stahl. Furlong revealed that he briefly stopped using heroin after the birth of his son with his first wife, Rachael Bella, in 2006. But his legal problems had only just begun. Bella filed for divorce in 2008, later accusing her ex of exposing their then six-year-old son to cocaine.
Shortly after, she filed a restraining order against the actor, which he broke. In 2013, Furlong was sentenced to six months in prison for violating his probation terms in connection with a domestic violence case. The 'Terminator' star also revealed to the Daily Mail a previously unknown arrest while under the influence of illegal substances in 2016. He was sentenced to six months at the time.
"It's amazing that I'm still alive - it was very close at times," Furlong said. The actor is certain that he "definitely" had overdoses several times. Consumption also cost him his teeth. In the meantime, however, he has been clean again for four years and has new teeth. He also has “a wonderful relationship” with his son. "I like how easy my life is these days. I can wake up and not worry about going to jail," Furlong said. He was also seen again in "Terminator: Dark Fate" in 2019.
