Is retirement on the horizon for Linda Hamilton? Well, it might not when new roles keep finding her. Hamilton never saw herself stepping into “Osiris” until fate intervened. The “Terminator” legend shared with People magazine that her role as Anya, a resilient Russian survivor stranded on an alien spacecraft, came to her most unexpectedly.
(Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)“I replaced an actor who had a medical problem, so they came to me very last minute,” she told People magazine. “They offered me that actor’s price. We didn’t even negotiate. They were in a pickle, so it was a lot of money to step in, with maybe 10 days’ notice and three hard days of work.”
Hamilton Masters Russian Accent for High-Stakes Role in “Osiris”
(Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)In “Osiris”, Hamilton joins “a team of Special Forces commandos” who awaken aboard an alien ship with no memory, only to discover a ruthless alien race is hunting them. Her character has survived more than 20 years onboard, fighting alongside the commandos.
The toughest part? Mastering Anya’s Russian accent.
“I loved working with the dialect coach and I loved going into a terrifying job with mouthfuls and mouthfuls of stuff, more than I’ve said in my entire career,” Hamilton shared. “I treated it like a piece of theater… and I’m really enjoying that.”
Enjoying Her Craft on Her Own Terms
Photo by Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images)Now that her children are grown, Hamilton says she finally has the time to work the way she’s always wanted. “I get to do work now the way that I always wanted to… I’m not raising children and I’m not cheating them if I sit with my script all day long,” she said. “And I have to say, I’m enjoying it so much.”
Why Retirement Isn’t in the Cards Just Yet
(Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb)Despite considering retirement before her upcoming “Stranger Things” season 5 role due to hip pain, Hamilton admits that slowing down is more complicated than it sounds.
“I worked straight for three years… and I’m tired. Really, really tired,” she confessed. “But retirement is a lot harder than working, it turns out.”
Looking ahead, she’s open to “less tough” roles and even dreams of working with Wes Anderson. “I’d love to work with Wes Anderson and some of the off-center directors,” she added.
Hamilton Embraces New Creative Freedom & Teases ‘Stranger Things’ Role
With her children, Josephine Cameron & Dalton Abbott, now grown, Linda Hamilton says she’s able to give her full attention to her craft.
The actress also opened up about filming “Stranger Things” Season 5 during a July 2025 interview with ComingSoon.Net. While staying tight-lipped about her mysterious new character, Dr. Kay, Hamilton revealed the shoot was unlike anything she’s experienced.
“We took a year to film eight episodes. So I’ve never been on a project for a year. Six months have been the biggest. You know, Terminator, Dante’s Peak, things like that. Used to be six-month shoots. And hardly anybody does that anymore,” the 68-year-old shared.
With her passion for storytelling still burning bright, Linda Hamilton proves she’s far from ready to slow down!
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‘Terminator’ Icon on Considering Retirement Due to Hip Pain