Linda Hamilton, 69, Makes Blunt Confession About Aging

Michelle Stein November 26, 11:02 am

Linda Hamilton in 'Terminator 2' — Everett Collection

What To Know

Linda Hamilton, 69, candidly discussed embracing aging and rejecting Hollywood’s pressure to look younger.
She reflected on the physical toll of performing her own stunts in ‘The Terminator’ and other films throughout her career.
Hamilton will appear as Dr. Kay, a military scientist, in Season 5 of Stranger Things.

Linda Hamilton — the action star known for her roles in The Terminator series, Dante’s Peak, and more — recently made a blunt confession about aging

During an interview with AARP Movies for Grownups published on November 26, the actress, 69, reflected on the pressure of retaining a youthful appearance in Hollywood.

“I do not spend a moment trying to look younger on any level, ever,” she boldly declared. “I have just completely surrendered to the fact that this is the face that I’ve earned. And it tells me so much. And sometimes it’s stuff I don’t want to hear.”

Instead of “chasing” beauty or longevity, Hamilton said she’s “fully planted in the moment.”

“But that doesn’t mean you don’t try to be healthy,” she clarified. “But not all the time — sometimes it is just a jelly donut. I’m not rigid, which is a fantastic way to get older. I’ve always said that rigidifying is what kills us: the rigid thoughts and the sort of not moving. I’ve tried very hard in my life to stay as fluid as possible.”

THE TERMINATOR, <a href=

During her interview with AARP, Hamilton touched on the “damage and harm” of performing her own stunts in action movies and the toll it has taken on her body.

“Having done so many stunts and falling on my butt in fear, there’s a bit of a price to pay,” Hamilton revealed. “I was doing physical therapy three times a week.”

In 1984, Hamilton played Sarah Connor in the beloved 1984 sci-fi film The Terminator. She reprised the role in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Terminator: Dark Fate (2019).

For her latest role, Hamilton plays Dr. Kay in Season 5 of Stranger Things, which premieres on Wednesday, November 26.

“She is the head scientist for the military, and Hawkins is under quarantine. So the military is in charge, and they are also in charge of the Upside Down,” Hamilton detailed, of Dr. Kay. “She’s a scientist, a doctor, and there’s a bit of a hint that she might be trying to continue Dr. Brenner’s (Matthew Modine) work on some level.”

The first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 5 premiere on Wednesday, November 26, at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix. The next two episodes drop on December 25, followed by the Season 5 finale on December 31.