**Linda Hamilton Nearly Retired Before Joining Stranger Things Season 5**
Terminator veteran Linda Hamilton has revealed that she was seriously considering retirement before receiving the call to join the cast of *Stranger Things* Season 5. In the upcoming final season of the hit Netflix series, Hamilton is set to play the role of Dr. Kay, who is anticipated to take over following the departure of Matthew Modine’s character, Dr. Martin Brenner, after his demise near the end of Season 4.
### Why Was Linda Hamilton Considering Retirement?
During a recent interview with *Variety*, Hamilton opened up about how *Stranger Things* Season 5 changed her mind about stepping away from acting. She shared that her decision to contemplate retirement was largely due to persistent hip issues that had troubled her for several years.
“I had started to talk to my agent, actually, right before this about retirement,” Hamilton said. “I was having a terrible hip issue for a few years, and I was like, ‘I can’t guarantee that I’m gonna be at my best. And if I can’t do that, then I don’t want to be in front of [the] camera.’”
### The Unexpected Stranger Things Offer
Just months after discussing retirement with her agent, Hamilton received an unexpected offer to star in the final season of *Stranger Things*. This prompted her to connect with the show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, in a Zoom meeting.
She recalled, “So after that phone call with my agent, cut to two months later, that was the last time we spoke: ‘I’m retiring.’ And then they called about *Stranger Things* and said, ‘Is Linda available from June to June?’ And [my agent] went, ‘Yes!’ He didn’t even check with me, he just went ‘Yes!’ So, and then there was the Zoom meeting with the Duffer brothers, who could not have been kinder.”
### Stranger Things Season 5 Cast and Release Information
*Stranger Things* Season 5 boasts a star-studded ensemble including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Natalia Dyer, Joe Keery, Charlie Heaton, Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Cara Buono, and Brett Gelman. Season 4 favorites Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/One/Henry Creel) and Amybeth McNulty (Vickie) will also return.
Joining the lineup are new cast members including Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay, Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler, Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow, and Alex Breaux as Lt. Akers.
The fifth and final season will be released on Netflix in three separate volumes:
– **Volume 1** premieres on November 26 with four episodes
– **Volume 2** follows on Christmas Day with three episodes
– The **series finale** will air on New Year’s Eve
All episodes will be available at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT.
(Source: *Variety*)
https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/2059557-how-stranger-things-season-5-prevented-linda-hamilton-from-retiring