Linda Hamilton

by Joanna Orland

Linda Hamilton is a Legend. She’s primarily known as “Sarah Connor” from the first two original Terminator films where she played alongside Arnie as the tough mum who would do anything to protect her child and the rest of humanity. Having made such a serious impact as Sarah Connor, Linda’s found herself playing an array of troubled tough women who have to overcome serious hardships to triumph in the end.

Having played such tough characters, her reputation is very intimidating, and having heard that I would be getting the chance to interview Linda, I have to say I was slightly terrified. Lucky for me, she was the exact opposite of every tough lady she’s played. I’m not saying she’s fragile… not by any means… She is a survivor having gone through two divorces, and having to live with Bi-Polar disorder, never even mind the surviving of a life in Hollywood. But she’s also a lovely jolly lady who is warm and chatty and anything but ready to blow you to bits with a machine gun. (Phew)

Linda’s been in London for a few days promoting her new film HOLY WATER, an Irish comedy about Viagra. The premise itself is as far as you can get from the Terminator flicks, but Linda is playing a tough, no BS, American cop. A role she easily slips into and can translate from Action, to Tragedy to Comedy. Linda actually hopes to do more comedy in the future, as she’d like to play characters that reflect her true self, which is lighter and funnier, rather than these tough characters she’s often typecast as.

“Strong is great but I’m just tired. I mean, strong is wonderful but I’ve done so much of it and so many professional women, and if I never did tragedy on film again, that would be fine. So tired of looking at myself with a look of consternation or whatever on my face. I’m just sick of it. I wanna smile.”

But don’t get her wrong. She’s grateful and honoured to have had the chance to play someone such as Sarah Connor and to have such a longstanding place in pop culture is something Linda herself still seems in awe of.

The film HOLY WATER is something she got involved with as she was sent the script by the director, and just unhesitatingly fell in love with its sweet simplicity as well as the fact that it made her laugh.

For Linda, comedy and action are closely related.

“It takes tremendous energy to do both and you have to be light on your feet and quick in your mind to be able to be a successful action star. You are doing so much that really isn’t there for you. You’re acting with a green screen, you’re doing so much creating on your own, you have to be so quick and so thorough because in your mind, and in your view you have to see the whole picture in order to be successful at all in the moment. So somehow comedy… you’re not going to sit there and be lackadaisical and be funny for long. Do you know what I mean? It takes energy. And the same sort of quick quarter horse, you know, turn on a dime, go in the other direction… the faster you can change directions, the funnier it’s gonna be and it’s the same with action. The faster you can create THAT, the more you’re roping your audience in and the more compelling it is.”

She is a wonderful lady and it felt more like going out for drinks with a mate rather than doing an interview. What a sweetheart… as long as there are no killer robots in sight!!!

One word to summarize Linda Hamilton?

“Beacon”.

HOLY WATER is out in UK cinemas from February 5th, 2010.

Me and Linda