Linda Hamilton in the film 'Terminator: Dark Fate'. Photo: Handout
Linda Hamilton is trading in terminators for whatever Dungeons & Dragons monster will next come to life in Hawkins, Indiana.
The Terminator actor confirmed that she has been added to the cast of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things for its upcoming fifth and final season.
The casting decision was made public during a Netflix fan event in Brazil where Hamilton made a video appearance to talk about her new gig.
“I don’t know how to be a fan girl and an actress at the same time,” she said while virtually addressing a crowd. “I’m gonna work on that.”
No details surrounding Hamilton’s role have been released.
Hamilton is best known for her starring turn as Sarah Connor in the blockbuster Terminator films – having appeared in three movies from the franchise.
She also received an Emmy Award nomination for her role as Catherine Chandler in the late 1980s CBS series Beauty And The Beast.
She also starred in the 1984 horror classic Children Of The Corn and the 1997 disaster flick Dante’s Peak.
However, Hamilton’s appearance in Stranger Things – in whatever capacity showrunners decide – won’t be as soon as fans might like. Production on the show has been halted due to the ongoing Hollywood writers’ strike.
Stranger Things creators and showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer broke the news of the delay in May, noting that “writing does not stop when filming begins”.
“While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then – over and out. #wgastrong,” the Duffers posted on the Stranger Things writers’ room Twitter account.
Finn Wolfhard, who stars as teenager Mike Wheeler in the series, confirmed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly earlier this month that production hasn’t started back up yet.
“We’re pressing pause until the strike is figured out,” Wolfhard said. “I think I’m really antsy to start because I’m a fan of the show first and foremost. So I’m excited, obviously, to just see where every character’s journey takes them and everything like that.”
In 2022, the Duffers announced that the sci-fi drama will end with Season 5.
“Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things. At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons,” the Duffers said in a statement.
“It proved too large to tell in four, but – as you’ll soon see for yourselves – we are now hurtling toward our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; season 5 will be the last.”
But the finale doesn’t yet mean the end of Stranger Things canon: In March, Netflix announced that a prequel play set in 1959 Hawkins was in the works and that it would premiere in London’s West End. – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service
