Line #2 Creator/LindaHamilton


1	[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/linda_hamilton.jpg]]
2	->''"I've never really been the leading-lady type, I've always wanted to be a character actress."''
3
4	Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956 in Salisbury, Maryland) is an American actress.
5
6	She's most well known for her role of Sarah Connor, the mother of future human resistance leader John Connor in the first two films of the ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' franchise, namely ''Film/TheTerminator'' and ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay''. The latter [[TookALevelInBadass gave the character a serious level in badass]] and more dramatic range, making her quite an iconic example ActionGirl. Linda [[RoleReprise reprised the role]] in ''[[Film/TerminatorDarkFate Dark Fate]]'' 28 years after the last time she played it.
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8	She was married to ''Terminator'' director Creator/JamesCameron between 1997 and 1999, and she had an identical twin sister, the late Leslie Hamilton Gearren (1956-2020), who was [[MakingUseOfTheTwin used for some scenes]] in ''Terminator 2''.
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10	In 2005, she revealed that she suffers from UsefulNotes/BipolarDisorder, claiming that it destroyed her two marriages.
11	----
12	!!Her works on TV Tropes:
13
14	* ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' as Sarah Jeanette Connor
15	** ''Film/TheTerminator'' (1984)
16	** ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' (1991)
17	** ''Ride/Terminator23DBattleAcrossTime'' (1996)
18	** ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'' (2009) (uncredited)
19	** ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate'' (2019)
20	* ''Film/{{Children of the Corn\|1984}}'' (1984) as Vicky Baxter
21	* ''Film/BlackMoonRising'' (1986) as Nina
22	* ''Film/KingKongLives'' (1986) as Dr. Amy Franklin
23	* ''Series/{{Beauty and the Beast\|1987}}'' (1987-1990) as Catherine Chandler
24	* ''Film/MrDestiny'' (1990) as Ellen Jane
25	* ''Film/SilentFall'' (1994) as Karen Rainer
26	* ''Film/DantesPeak'' (1997) as Rachel Wando
27	* ''Film/RescuersStoriesOfCourage'' as Marie Taquet
28	* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' (1998) as Susan Maguire
29	* ''WesternAnimation/HerculesTheAnimatedSeries'' (1998-1999) as Nemesis
30	* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' (1999) as Dr. Stephanie Lake
31	* ''WesternAnimation/BuzzLightyearOfStarCommand'' (2000) as Dr. Furbanna
32	* ''Series/{{Weeds}}'' (2010) as [[TheDanza Linda]]
33	* ''Series/{{Chuck}}'' (2010-2012) as Mary Elizabeth Bartowski
34	* ''WesternAnimation/DCShowcaseJonahHex'' (2010) as Madame Lorraine
35	* ''Series/LostGirl'' (2013-2015) as Acacia
36	* ''Series/{{Defiance}}'' (2014-2015) as Pilar
37	* ''Series/ResidentAlien'' (2021) as General [=McCallister=]
38	* ''Series/StrangerThings'' (TBA)
39
40	!!Tropes associated with her work:
41
42	* CreatorCouple:
43	** Her husband Bruce Abbot appeared in two episodes of ''Series/BeautyAndTheBeast1987''.
44	** She was also involved with James Cameron during the filming of ''[[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay Terminator 2]]'' and later married him.
45	* DawsonCasting:[[invoked]] She was twenty-seven playing Sarah Connor at 19. Later films retconned her into being 23. Ironically, Creator/JenniferJasonLeigh was turned down for being too young.
46	* DyeingForYourArt:
47	** For ''Terminator 2'' she got into insanely good shape through a strict training regimen and non-fat diet. She lost twelve pounds while filming.
48	** She also spent a year training for ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate'' to get into the right shape.
49	* EnforcedMethodActing:[[invoked]] For a scene in ''Film/ChildrenOfTheCorn1984'' where Vicky dreams of Joseph's body coming up to grab her, Linda was told that there was a mannequin under the blanket. When Jonas Marlowe jumps up at her, she reacted with genuine shock.
50	* FriendshipOnTheSet:[[invoked]] Even though ''Film/DantesPeak'' was the only time she and Pierce Brosnan worked together, they became good friends afterwards.
51	* IAmNotSpock: Despite an extensive resume in TV and film, she is known almost entirely as Sarah Connor. Doubly impressive considering until 2019 she only starred in two films in the franchise, and the role has been played by notable actresses such as Creator/LenaHeadey and Creator/EmiliaClarke.
52	* MakingUseOfTheTwin: Linda's late identical twin sister Leslie was used in ''Terminator 2'' when the T-1000 is mimicking Sarah, and in the dream sequence (WordOfGod is that they had no idea how to do it until they realised she had a twin!). There's a DeletedScene where Sarah Connor is working on the T-800 in front of a mirror; the mirror's frame was empty, with Linda on one side with a dummy and Leslie on the other mirroring her movements with the real Arnie.
53	* RealLifeWritesThePlot: During Season 2 of ''Series/BeautyAndTheBeast1987'', she became pregnant and wanted to take time off. [[spoiler: She was killed off and replaced with a new character played by Jo Anderson]].
54	* SpecialGuest: She is credited as this for role as General [=McCallister=] in ''Series/ResidentAlien''.
55	* UncreditedRole:[[invoked]] She is uncredited for the voiceover she provides for ''Film/TerminatorSalvation''.
56	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
57	** Among the projects she auditioned for - ''Film/AFewGoodMen'', ''Film/BatmanForever'', ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''.
58	** Apparently turned down the part of Molly Brown in ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'' that went to Kathy Bates.
59	** She declined to come back for ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines'', though she eventually returned to the franchise for ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate''.
60	--->"They offered me a part. I read it and knew my character arc was so complete after the first two, but in the third one, it was negligible. She died halfway through and there was no time to mourn her. It was all so disposable so I said no thank you."
61	* WouldntHitAGirl: Being on the receiving end of this trope is a known BerserkButton for her. Just ask Ken Gibbel.

Context Creator / LindaHamilton