Despite fans’ (justifiable) reservations about a new ‘Terminator’ film, the upcoming sequel, ‘Dark Fate,’ has something that the previous films didn’t — Linda Hamilton. And now, with Sarah Connor back to fight robots and save the world, there’s hope that director Tim Miller and producer James Cameron have finally nailed what it takes to make a good “Terminator’ film post-‘T2.’ But even though it seemed like an obvious choice to bring back Hamilton to the franchise, the actress recently explained that it was hardly an easy decision.
Speaking to the New York Times, Hamilton described how her post-Hollywood life led to her reluctance to join the sci-fi/action franchise once more. In fact, it took quite a bit of convincing to bring Sarah Connor back in ‘Dark Fate’ because the actress had largely left her acting life behind to focus on “normal” living in a small community far, far away from the glitz and glamor of LA.
READ MORE: James Cameron Enjoyed Having a “Blank Slate” With ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’
“That was my hesitation: Do I want to trade this lovely, authentic life for that?” admitted Hamilton. “I didn’t want my neighbors looking at me differently. We’re neighbors because of who we are, not what we do, and I don’t want that to creep into my life again.”
But it wasn’t just a matter of convincing Hamilton to leave her quiet, peaceful life behind for another round of Hollywood glory. There was also the actress’ own insecurities about ruining a character that has been one of the most iconic action stars for decades.
“It’s not that I was afraid to let the fans down,” she said. “I was afraid to let Sarah Connor down.”
To help ensure that she didn’t let Sarah Connor, or the fans, down, the actress took extreme measures to make sure her 60-year-old body (at the time of training) would be able to withstand all the explosions and fight scenes that Miller and Cameron were going to throw her way.
READ MORE: ‘Terminator Dark Fate’ Trailer: Today Is Judgment Day, Tomorrow We Meet Our Fate
“This was 10 times the effort I put into the second one,” Hamilton said.
And all that effort didn’t just include a healthy diet and workout regimen. She also trained in the desert with the Green Berets and was put on a doctor-authorized schedule of supplements and bioidentical hormones to help build muscle.
Fans won’t have to wait too long to see if Hamilton’s hard work paid off, as “Terminator: Dark Fate” is set to explode its way into theaters on November 1. Maybe all the franchise needed for another successful sequel is a buff Linda Hamilton? It worked back in 1991.