Linda Hamilton still remembers her first call with the Duffer brothers, who pitched her the idea of playing a new villain in Stranger Things 5, the fifth and final season of the juggernaut series.
Hamilton was in a Vancouver hotel room preparing to chat with Stranger Things co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer. They were big fans of Hamilton’s work, particularly her badass role as Sarah O’Connor in the Terminator film series. It dawned on her: Here she was, a legend of 1980s action films, entertaining the prospect of joining yet another iconic franchise steeped in that era.
It didn’t take long for Hamilton to sign on to play Dr. Kay, Stranger Things 5’s imposing new head scientist in charge of the military occupation in Hawkins who has taken on Dr. Brenner’s work. As seen in the first four episodes of the new season, which were released on Nov. 26, Dr. Kay is hunting Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and wants her to be found alive. The Duffers are quick to credit Hamilton with shaping their vision of this shadowy new nemesis.
“Before we cast her, we weren’t quite sure who Dr. Kay was yet. We knew that she was in the military. We knew we wanted her to be very different from Brenner,” Ross Duffer says. “But once Linda came in, we molded the character around her. We leaned away from the traditional scientist and gave her more of a military edge. She can fight, she can use a gun, and she doesn’t hesitate to do so. You don’t want to piss her off.”
“And that element of her probably wouldn’t exist had our casting director, Carmen Cuba, not suggested Linda Hamilton,” Matt Duffer adds. “But the idea always was to find an actor who is iconic, someone we grew up watching. And Linda falls into that category, obviously, as did previous guest stars Sean Astin and Paul Reiser. The idea of working with an actor who we grew up loving was really exciting for us. You never know if they’re going to say yes. Luckily we found out that Linda was a fan of the show and had seen all four seasons, which is very surreal. She jumped on board immediately and enthusiastically.”
Hamilton was just as surprised as the Duffers were. “When they called, I was like, ‘No, I’m a fan of that show. I can’t be in that show.’ So it was a stunning turn of events, and I was thrilled, absolutely thrilled,” she says. “It’s the first show I’ve ever done where I’m a fan and an actor, so what a delight.”
Speaking from her home, Hamilton reflects on how she approached her character, what it was like to revisit the decade that defined her, and what made her such an early and ardent fan of Stranger Things.
Who is Dr. Kay and what excited you about playing her?
Linda Hamilton: Dr. Kay is the lead scientist in the military, and she’s a bit of a mystery. Her work is very specific to her, and I’m playing her as if people don’t matter. Science is what matters, and she’s very much trying to stop the drama that’s unfolding and thinks she’s doing the right thing for Hawkins. She’s so determined that nothing really gets in her way, and that’s where it gets a little bit more interesting for the character and for the audience.
What makes Dr. Kay so dangerous?
Hamilton: Her sole interest and focus is finding Eleven. So everything else, all the loss of life and all of the cataclysmic stuff that is happening around her, does not shake her from her mission. And her relationship with all of her subordinates is not pretty. She is very much the master of the game and treats them like they’re insignificant unless they can bring her what she wants.
Dr. Kay has a very particular aesthetic. How do you describe her look?
Hamilton: It was a return to the 1980s, which was funny for me to think back on all the different looks I had myself in the ’80s. I did not have the hairdo back then that we assigned to Dr. Kay, but it was really fun to re-create that aesthetic and have an appreciation for — but also a good laugh at — ’80s fashion. And the military jumpsuit, or flight suit, she wears certainly suits the character. Everybody seemed to really like it. I think it’s fun that I got to wear the same thing in all my episodes, which was really cool. So Dr. Kay definitely has a look, and it was incredible to work with all the talented teams that created it.
You were already a big fan of Stranger Things before you joined the cast this season. What initially hooked you?
Hamilton: I immediately was enthralled with Millie Bobby Brown and her talent as such a young actress. I was fascinated with her work as a fellow actor. I also just loved the entire cast and whole world that this show invented. It reminded me of E.T. and sweet relationship movies from that era. Of course, it also has global appeal that’s cross-generational with the younger kids, and you’re drawn in by the real relationships they form. That, coupled with the incredible special effects, pulled me in.
What was it like going from being a fan of the show to stepping into that world as an actor?
Hamilton: That’s something I’ve had to do before, but maybe not on this scale. You walk into something that everyone’s been doing for 10 years except for you. There were relationships there that pre-dated me by a decade. I just thought, “I hope that I can match the level of talent and everything that this show brings. I just hope I can keep up.” It’s not that I’m insecure, but it’s intense to walk into a situation like that, and then it happens to be the biggest show in the world. We still laugh about how, on my first day, there was just so much to do. [The production team] started with my huge stuff, including stunts, and then I realized that every day they shoot is on that level and that scale. There is something huge going on in every scene. It was really amazing that I had to jump into the middle of it all, and I’d never even heard the character’s voice come out of my mouth yet. It was a little overwhelming. But when all was said and done, man, I felt really ready.
What do you love most about Stranger Things?
Hamilton: I love all the characters and the character development. I mean, I like everything about the show, quite frankly. It’s just beautifully done, beautifully crafted, and it really gives the audience so much to care for, so many people to care about — and the wonderful balance of horror and comedy and poignancy. It has it all. Certainly we love the kids, we’ve loved watching them grow up. We’re attached to every single young character in this show. We also love Hopper, we love Joyce. And I just think the Duffers have done a really good job doing the vast story along with characters that you really care about — and the comedy as well. So it’s just this huge endeavor, but it somehow has found its footing in such a good way that the world responds.
How does it feel to return to the ’80s in another legendary franchise after the Terminator films?
Hamilton: I think it definitely adds to the Linda Hamilton lore, and I don’t mind having a little lore around me. This show is not only high profile, but it’s also high quality and a lot of fun.
The first four episodes of Stranger Things 5 are streaming now on Netflix, followed by three more episodes on Christmas, and the finale on New Year’s Eve. Find out when new episodes arrive in your part of the world here. And test your knowledge of Stranger Things with our superfan quiz.
