Terminator icon Linda Hamilton turns 70

American actress Linda Hamilton marked her 70th birthday on Friday, September 26. Born in 1956 in Salisbury, Maryland, she became internationally recognized for playing Sarah Connor in the Terminator franchise.

A career-defining role

Hamilton's breakthrough came with the 1984 film "The Terminator," in which she starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. She gained even wider acclaim with the 1991 sequel "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," where her portrayal of the tough, battle-ready Sarah Connor became one of the genre's most recognizable action heroines. She reprised the role once more in the 2019 film "Terminator: Dark Fate."

Younger audiences may know Hamilton from a different project: in 2025 she joined the fifth and final season of Netflix's "Stranger Things," playing Dr. Kay, a military officer searching for Eleven. The actress has said she was already a fan of the series before being offered the part. Her career has continued since — in 2026 she appeared in the series "Dark Winds" and the film "Trust Me, I'm a Doctor."

Personal life

For roughly a decade, Hamilton has called New Orleans home, where she values a quiet routine and time with family — she recently became a grandmother. Her name is also tied to one of Hollywood's best-known romances: after filming "Terminator 2," she became involved with director James Cameron, and the couple had a daughter, Josephine, in 1993 before marrying in 1997. The marriage ended in divorce in 1999, with reports indicating Hamilton received a settlement of around $50 million. Since then, she has repeatedly said she prefers an independent life without a partner.