With Stranger Things season 5 quickly taking over social media since its release, Linda Hamilton, who plays Dr Kay in the Netflix series, has spoken out about defying Hollywood’s rigid beauty standards.
In recent years, cosmetic procedures have become common among actors, but the Terminator star recently explained why she refuses to follow the industry’s ever-changing ideals.
Highlights
- Linda Hamilton embraces her natural aging, proudly defying Hollywood’s rigid beauty standards.
- The 69-year-old actress shares that she has “surrendered” to the passage of time and refuses to chase youth or undergo cosmetic procedures.
- Her comments even drew comparisons between her and Kris Jenner’s recent transformation, both being nearly the same age.
“This is how 95% of other actresses would also look like if they aged naturally,” wrote one admiring fan online.
Linda Hamilton, who plays Dr Kay in ‘Stranger Things’ season 5, recently opened up in a new interview about her stance on beauty standards and cosmetic procedures
Image credits: Getty/Monica Schipper
The beloved ’80s and ’90s icon, best known for her role as Sarah Connor alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, has now gracefully embraced her age at 69.
In an interview with AARP’s Movies for Grownups, published on Wednesday, November 26, the actress primarily discussed her unexpected role as Dr. Kay in Stranger Things season 5.
Image credits: Netflix
Unlike her usual heroine roles, Hamilton takes on the part of a villain this time, a government agent hunting down Millie Bobby Brown’s iconic character.
This new role marks Linda Hamilton’s second major project of 2025, following a six-year break from Hollywood.
Image credits: IMDb/Terminator: Dark Fate
She made her return earlier this year with the sci-fi action film Osiris, which premiered just a few months before the Netflix hit.
However, the conversation soon shifted to her views on aging naturally.
The 69-year-old star made her big-screen return in 2025 after a six-year hiatus, having last appeared in 2019’s Terminator: Dark Fate
Image credits: Netflix
She shared that she has “surrendered” to aging and chooses to “own her age.”
The interviewer asked, “You’ve said you want to own your age. What does that mean to you?”
To this, Linda replied without hesitation, “I do not spend a moment trying to look younger on any level, ever. I have just completely surrendered to the fact that this is the face that I’ve earned.”
“And it tells me so much. And sometimes it’s stuff I don’t want to hear. I don’t chase beauty, and I don’t chase longevity particularly.”
She emphasized that while she doesn’t prioritize youthfulness, maintaining a balanced approach to her “health” still matters, though she isn’t strict about it.
Hamilton told the outlet, “Sometimes it is just a jelly donut. I’m not rigid, which is a fantastic way to get older. I’ve always said that rigidifying is what ki**s us: the rigid thoughts and the sort of not moving.”
“I love it when actresses age gracefully,” echoed fans and supporters of Linda, celebrating her choice to embrace her natural self
Image credits: IMDb/Terminator 2: Judgment Day
“I’ve tried very hard in my life to stay as fluid as possible. One definition of happiness is being in the middle of a fast-moving river and not trying to swim to the left or the right side.”
Hamilton’s candid reflections on aging struck a chord online, with many praising her as a “true icon” for her honesty and refusal to conform to Hollywood’s beauty pressures.
Image credits: Getty/Variety
One fan wrote, “Hooray for some honesty and natural aging. It isn’t so bad is it. I refuse to give in to modern opinion that we should look younger. Linda you are still beautiful.”
Another user commented, “Wise woman....there are many other hollywood and celebrity types who have fallen into the trap of trying to look like they are 30 forever.”
Image credits: Getty/Steve Granitz / Instagram/Kris Jenner
A third chimed in, “This is the most refreshing post I've seen in years. It's about time we start embracing ourselves in every stage of life.”
Some even compared Linda’s natural aging to Kris Jenner’s recent transformation, noting how the two are nearly the same age but have taken drastically different approaches to beauty.
Linda’s honest take on aging naturally also sparked comparisons to several Hollywood figures, including Kardashian-Jenner matriarch Kris Jenner
Image credits: IMDb/Terminator 2: Judgment Day
“She’s more wrinkled than many at that age but ok, it is what it is. Imagine what Kris Jenner would look like without all the work she's had done. I admire her for having the sense of self and character to age naturally.”
Kris, 70, recently underwent a dramatic facelift performed by New York plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Levine, a transformation that drew widespread criticism and stunned the internet.
Image credits: Getty/Han Myung-Gu
Many say she now bears a striking resemblance to her 30-year-old daughter, Kendall Jenner.
The Dante’s Peak star ended the conversation on a heartfelt note, revealing that her biggest motivation to avoid cosmetic procedures has always been her 32-year-old daughter, Josephine, whom she shares with ex-husband James Cameron.
Image credits: Trimark Pictures/Everett Collection
She recalled how, as a child, Josephine once called her mother “beautiful” because “her face is filled with joy.”
“I’ve used that as my definition of beauty ever since,” Linda shared. “And I work on the joy.”
“Society unfortunately puts a lot of pressure on women… especially in the Movie Business. I appreciate & applaud her decision,” wrote one fan
