Stranger Things Saved Linda Hamilton From Early Retirement

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The show blends up-and-coming actors with beloved stars from the 1980s. Season 5 kept this going by adding Linda Hamilton, famous for her role in The Terminator, to the cast.

Linda Hamilton joined the cast of Stranger Things after the death of Dr. Martin Brenner, a character from Season 4. She’s a long-time fan of the show, but admitted she was nervous about watching the final season knowing she’d be in it. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hamilton shared that working on Season 5 actually motivated her to come out of retirement.

The actress said she hadn’t been looking to be part of the show, but the creators, the Duffer Brothers, reached out to her and asked her to join.

“That doesn’t happen often enough,” Hamilton explained. “They came to my agent.”

She explained that she had been seriously considering retirement because of her hip problems. She was limping and realized she couldn’t consistently perform at her best or guarantee she’d be able to work reliably. She felt she needed to stop working for her own well-being.

Then, about three months later, the producers of Stranger Things reached out. No one had talked about retiring yet – it was still a possibility. They asked if Linda Hamilton could be available for a full year, and he immediately said yes, without even checking with her first, because everyone was really enthusiastic about it.

Season 5 really introduced us to this fascinating new character – a military scientist basically picking up where Dr. Brenner left off. While we’re still learning her story, she definitely showed her cold side in Episode 4, “Sorcerer,” especially in how she dealt with Hopper. It was a seriously ruthless moment, and it made me realize just how dangerous she is.

Linda Hamilton Addressed Stranger Things Season 5’s Terminator Inspiration

The actress also mentioned the show’s visual inspiration. She explained that the creators, the Duffer brothers, never specifically discussed it with her, but she observed they frequently wore shirts referencing James Cameron films. She believes this wasn’t a deliberate signal to her, but rather a consistent expression of their own creative influences.

Hamilton explained that they didn’t spend much time discussing the story’s beginnings or the character’s background. The people involved were very busy, which made not knowing the overall plan both exciting and a little risky. However, the writing was so good that he always knew how to approach each scene. He then brought his own creativity to the role and began performing.

Stranger Things returns with Vol. 2 on Dec. 25 and the series finale on Dec. 31.

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2025-11-30 23:06