Before Terminator 2: Judgment Day, it was clear that for Terminator 3, the stakes had to be raised once again. The T-1000 had already been a great deal more powerful than Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800, and the T-X represented yet another evolution of Skynet's Terminator line. In fact, the T-X is a bit of a blend of both the T-800 and the T-1000.
The T-X is equipped with a solid metal endoskeleton like the T-800, but that endoskeleton is covered by the T-1000's liquid metal, and retains its ability to shape-shift. This creates a machine with most of the strengths of the two prior killer cyborgs, but without most of their weaknesses. Up against the T-X is the same old T-800 model present in the first two Terminator films, played by Schwarzenegger, and now getting woefully out of step with Skynet's latest technological advances.
Putting the T-800 at an even further disadvantage is that the T-X is specifically designed to take out Terminators that have been reprogrammed by the resistance, unlike the T-1000, which seemed a bit unsure exactly how to handle his less advanced foe. Loken earned praise from most fans for her work as the T-X, but the original choice for the role could've truly been Schwarzenegger's physical match.
Terminator 3: The WWE Wrestler Who Almost Played the T-X
Prior to Kristanna Loken's casting in Terminator 3, founding D-Generation X member Joanie "Chyna" Laurer was seriously considered to play the T-X. For those wondering why a wrestler with very little acting experience would be considered for a major role in a blockbuster sequel, the answer is that it was Arnold Schwarzenegger's idea. Schwarzenegger is and was a huge fan of WWE and professional wrestling as a whole, and had actually made a guest appearance on an episode of WWE SmackDown in 1999. At that time, Chyna was WWE's top female star.
No one involved with Terminator 3 has ever publicly addressed why Chyna ultimately didn't get the T-X role, but for her part, Laurer said before her tragic 2016 death that she blamed WWE boss Vince McMahon. Chyna had left WWE on bad , as her ex-boyfriend Triple H had left her for Vince's daughter Stephanie, leading to her effectively being pushed out of the company. Laurer said McMahon had bouthed her to other entertainment companies, leading her to have trouble trying to break into Hollywood. Of course, there's multiple sides to every story, and it's also likely that Terminator 3's makers just weren't impressed with her audition for the role.
