Best known for his performance as the "T-1000" in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Robert's film career has spanned an impressive range of roles. After moving to Hollywood in 1984, he performed in the play Go and was discovered by a casting director for Roger Corman's production company. He worked in two Corman films: Warlords From Hell and Equalizer 2000. Robert's illustrious feature credits also include All the Pretty Horses, Eye See You, A Texas Funeral, Spy Kids, Texas Rangers, Striptease, The Faculty, Copland and Fire in the Sky.

Born in Marietta, Georgia, Robert played American Legion Baseball in high school and football at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. After sitting in on some drama classes, he decided to quit football for acting. Robert co-starred in the Los Angeles premiere of David Mamet's The Shawl, and had a recurring role in the HBO series The Sopranos. While a partner in the now dissolved independent film production company, 360 Entertainment, he produced Within the Rock and The End of the Road, a film in which he had a starring role. His brother Richard Patrick is the lead singer for the band Filter and former live guitarist for Nine Inch Nails, who had songs on two of the series' soundtracks, Songs in the Key of X: Music From and Inspired by The X-Files ('Thanks Bro') and The X-Files: The Album - Fight the Future (a cover of the Tree Dog Night song 'One').