Veteran actress Linda Hamilton, best known for her iconic role in the Terminator franchise, has made a surprising revelation about nearly ending her acting career before securing what she calls the "role of a lifetime" in the fifth and final season of Netflix's hit series Stranger Things.
From Retirement Thoughts to Stranger Things
In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly, the 69-year-old actress opened up about her serious considerations of retirement, primarily driven by ongoing health issues. Hamilton disclosed that she had been suffering from a bad hip problem since 2023, which significantly impacted her ability to work and made her contemplate stepping away from the entertainment industry permanently.
The actress revealed that she had been actively discussing retirement plans with her manager, who surprisingly encouraged her to remain in the business a little longer. This advice proved prophetic when, just months later, Hamilton landed the role of Dr. Kay in the highly anticipated final season of Stranger Things.
A Sudden Surge of Work Demands
Hamilton described how her career trajectory changed dramatically after accepting the Stranger Things role. Suddenly, she found herself working on three major projects simultaneously throughout the year: Resident Alien, Trust Me, I'm a Doctor, and Stranger Things 5.
"I've hardly ever worked back-to-back," Hamilton confessed. "I haven't worked this much since I started to talk about retirement. Now, I'm working all the time." The actress emphasized her independent approach to her career, noting that she manages everything herself without the support of an assistant, manager, or publicist.
The physical demands of juggling multiple projects took their toll, with Hamilton joking about her hectic travel schedule: "I'm running back and forth to Atlanta, then I hop off to Toronto and chop off my hair and dye it blonde, and then before I come back, we're dying it dark. My hair had a really tough year."
Intense Preparation Despite Health Challenges
Despite her hip issues, Hamilton committed to an intense fitness regimen to prepare for her role in Stranger Things. She maintained a strict workout schedule, hitting the gym three times weekly to ensure she was in optimal physical condition for the demanding role.
"I wanted to make sure that I was in optimal shape, and as a result, I shared candidly that my character did not limp, thankfully," Hamilton explained. However, the veteran actress hinted that this might mark the end of an era for her physically demanding roles.
"I'm just older. I'm thinking those might be my last stunt rehearsals—I think I might be done with that. I could actually say I'm done with that and see what happens. But I worked really hard just to stay fit and ready and able," she revealed, suggesting that her future projects might involve less physically challenging roles.
Hamilton's journey serves as an inspiring example of how career revivals can happen at any stage, proving that sometimes the most rewarding opportunities arrive when we least expect them.
