Robert Patrick doesn't watch his own movies.

The 63-year-old actor - who has children Samuel and Austin with wife Barbara - is best known for portraying villain in T-1000 'Terminator 2' but does not usually watch his work back unless it has happened to have been on television.

He said: "I don't go back and watch my movies. Every once in a while I will happen to come across it and see it. It happened recently, over Christmas. My kids were home and 'Cop Land' was on and I said to my kids 'Have you ever seen this?', and they said no so we sat and watched it but I don't do that too often."

Meanwhile, the 'X Files' star went on to explain that while he initially worried that he would never escape the "shadow" of his more iconic roles, he now embraces his acting history because it allows him to thank the fans that have supported him.

He told HeyUGuys: "Well it kind of goes [up and down] just like your career. Earlier on, I was like 'I'm never gonna get out of the shadow of T-1000.' and 'Why can't people talk about Walk the Line or my last movie?'"

"But now, as a 63-year -old man, who has had a long career and has been fortunate enough to keep it going, I realise what a blessing it is that I was the T-1000. I love to talk to fans about it. As a matter of fact, I'm going out of my way to meet more fans and I enjoy the hell out of it - meeting them at Comic Cons and having them tell me about 'Oh my father and I used to watch this' or 'You scared the hell out of me.'

"It's very rewarding to me because now I can physically plan to go and meet the fans who have supported me over the years."