In a surprising career move that sees her switching from humanity's protector to government enforcer, Linda Hamilton has joined the cast of Stranger Things for its fifth and final season. The actress, best known for her iconic role as Sarah Connor in the Terminator franchise, takes on the part of Dr Kay, a military scientist with a hidden agenda.
From Sarah Connor to Stranger Things
Hamilton makes her first appearance as Dr Kay in the season's opening episode, titled 'Chapter One: The Crawl', where viewers immediately see her dissecting a dead creature from the Upside Down. The 69-year-old actress features across the first four episodes of the highly anticipated final season, which Netflix will release on November 26.
Speaking about her mysterious character, Hamilton revealed to Netflix Tudum: 'She's got a special agenda there that is kind of withheld throughout most of the season. And that's all I can say about that. But she was great fun to play. They gave me some good stuff to do. Got to mix it up a little bit.'
A Force to Be Reckoned With
Show creator Matt Duffer provided additional insight into Hamilton's character during an interview with Empire in October. He described Dr Kay as 'hyper-intelligent and intimidating' and noted that while she's primarily a scientist, 'if she needs to, she can get into a fight and shoot a gun.'
The casting announcement originally came in June 2023, but fans had to wait more than a year before seeing Hamilton on set. Her character details remained tightly under wraps until recently, building significant anticipation among the show's dedicated fanbase.
A Fan First, Cast Member Second
In a twist that makes her involvement particularly poignant, Hamilton admitted to being a huge fan of the 1980s-based science fiction drama since its Netflix debut in 2016. She told Variety: 'There's a part of me that would almost rather watch it than be in it, because now that I'm in it, I won't get to see it.'
This statement references Hamilton's long-standing practice of never watching projects she appears in. She explained: 'I don't watch my work. I cannot separate myself and my critical inner person from just someone that's enjoying watching it. And it's such a feast to watch this show.'
During script readings, Hamilton made the most of her only opportunity to experience the show's narrative unfold, knowing she wouldn't watch the final product. She elaborated: 'So during our script readings, I am watching everything, because I'm never going to get to see it on the screen and to watch it unfold.'
In February 2024, she reinforced this position to Us Weekly, stating: 'When you really buy into something, you don't see yourself in it. So I think, in a way, it kind of ruined the show for me. I never watch [a project], once I'm in something. It would just completely take me out of the reality of it to see myself in there. So I won't be watching [Season 5].'
Despite this personal viewing policy, Hamilton had previously confessed to watching every season of Stranger Things 'with relish' before joining the cast, making her involvement in the final season particularly meaningful for both the actress and fans of the show.
The actress attended the Stranger Things season five world premiere in Los Angeles on November 6, 2025, celebrating her role in one of television's most beloved series while maintaining her characteristic professionalism about the project's details.
