'Stranger Things' welcomes another 80s icon as Linda Hamilton joins Season 5

Sarah Connor in the 'Stranger Things' universe?!
 By 
Chase DiBenedetto
 on 
Linda Hamilton stands in front of a white backdrop.
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There's nothing that says "summer" quite like the opening notes of the Stranger Things theme song. So when the crowd heard the music drop at Netflix's Tudum fan event on Saturday — right before a huge reveal that Linda Hamilton, known famously as Sarah Connor from the Terminator franchise, would be joining the season five cast list — of course, the crowd went crazy.

"I don't know how to be a fangirl and an actress at the same time," Hamilton said in a quick video revealing that the Hawkins crew was getting even bigger. "I'm going to work on that."

And who else was better to announce the cast addition than the Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger?

"I'm excited that I can announce that my old friend, a fantastic actress, a badass, is joining the Netflix family in one of my favorite shows," he told the crowd before revealing his former The Terminator star.

No further details on Hamilton's character have been released, but we sure are curious to see where she'll be slotted in among Hawkins' other star-studded adult cast and veritable list of 80s icons. But the next season features a time jump, so maybe we've already met her?

"Good to see you, Arnold. Let's get dinner soon," Hamilton joked at the announcement's end. "And everyone else: I'll see you in Hawkins."

Chase sits in front of a green framed window, wearing a cheetah print shirt and looking to her right. On the window's glass pane reads "Ricas's Tostadas" in red lettering.
Chase DiBenedetto
Social Good Reporter

Chase joined Mashable's Social Good team in 2020, covering online stories about digital activism, climate justice, accessibility, and media representation. Her work also captures how these conversations manifest in politics, popular culture, and fandom. Sometimes she's very funny.


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