Terminator star Linda Hamilton, responsible for one of the most important and iconic film characters in history with her reinvention of Sarah Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, is popping up in a new British film this month.
Holy Water tells the story of four fed-up bachelors in a remote Irish village who hijack a truck of Viagra to sell on the black market – it ends up in the water supply with “hilarious” consequences. Hamilton plays a US agent brought in to recover the valuable haul in the film, released on 5th February. Watch the trailer here.
Having seen Hamilton speak at London Expo last year, it’s obvious the actress is a bundle of positive and passionate energy. Catching up with her for a quick chat this week in London for Holy Water, she has a warmth and openness that infects the room. We find out how she got involved in the film, her dream role, and what her frank opinion is on her ex-husband James Cameron being up against another ex-Mrs Cameron at this year’s Oscars.
Were you filming on location for Holy Water?
Linda: It’s very convincing as Ireland, but we were in Devon. We had set up production once in Ireland, and I was to go over three days later, but they shut down due to a financial glitch. When we started back up two years later, it was in Devon. I love Ireland to death, by the way, but it’s always good to go to a new place.
You’ve worked with director Tom Reeve before – is he a friend?
Linda: He will be my friend from now on, I’m absolutely wild about him! The first time we worked together he was producing, and he was very much in the background for this miniseries for the BBC his father was directing [The Way to Dusty Death]. You can imagine what a nice surprise it was to get a call from him twelve years later, to be handed this script I thought was pitch-perfect.
Did you feel left out that your character didn’t get to feel any of the effects of the water?
Linda: I wish we had made it clearer – she is scripted as a walking advert for diet Pepsi. But they didn’t have proper cans, I don’t know if it was a production thing or whatever, but we didn’t get to use them enough. I hope it’s clear enough that I don’t drink the water! There was a scene at the end with a donkey… they shot me walking around an outbuilding, and this donkey comes up to me. They tried to film it from between the donkey’s ears so they could see it giving chase for my last shot, but they couldn’t make it work. So I almost got the donkey!
What’s been your greatest personal achievement, career-wise?
Linda: I’ve been fully challenged career-wise, mostly on stage. I played Ethel Rosenberg in a stage production, and I’m just so far removed from her. She and her husband were the couple who were sort of sacrificed by the American government during the McCarthy era for trading nuclear secrets. She was innocent, and he was guilty of a little thing, but the government drummed up this case and executed them, and to play her on stage every night… a Brooklyn Jewess from the Forties? So far away from me! So that was my greatest challenge. I mean there are other challenges, like I’ve played women dying and there are wonderful scenes, but in terms of whole, playing Ethel. Just channeling someone. I mean by the end, it became just… Ethel! Talk to me! It was more than acting.
Are you looking to do more theatre?
Linda: I’ve had a relationship with the Berkshire Theater Company, a very reputable group in Massachusetts. I guess in the last few years they’ve been struggling financially, as everyone is. I know they were in their eleventh hour last year, so I guess it didn’t make sense for them to bring me. Although I would get paid what every other actor gets paid – which is nothing!
What would be your dream role?
I would love to tackle Shakespeare. I haven’t done Shakespeare since I was in acting school, since I did a production of Richard III a million years ago. I would love to play Kate in Taming of the Shrew. I would love to do some of the comedies, and the classic roles. I would love to play any Noel Coward.
So were you quite happy to revisit Sarah Connor for the Terminator Salvation voiceover?
Linda: It was awkward to be with a whole different team some years later, and to go, where is my mind, and where is my voice, because it doesn’t match, you know? The last Sarah, and the first Sarah, it was awkward, but only for the first ten minutes. You get into the rhythm and the mindset.
What is the legacy of Sarah Connor in your opinion?
Linda: That women can be strong and kick butt, and do everything men can do. Film has been full of strong and wonderful women all the way through, but this had a certain physicality that the women in the Forties, Fifties and Sixties didn’t get to play. Otherwise it would be Ida Lupino, who played all the greatest roles in the Forties, but the difference is that this was modern, physical and strong.
The Oscar nominations came out today – are you rooting for Avatar or The Hurt Locker?
Linda: I just think that’s hysterical. I really want to be in the audience somehow, prominently featured, so three of his [James Cameron] ex-wives are there! I think it’s wonderful, as you couldn’t have two more different movies. The idea that she’s [Kathryn Bigelow] standing nose to nose with the man that left her, and she did it all on her own. I think in their early days there was a lot of… they were very much entangled. He wrote, she directed, she did everything with him. She wanted to be him. Then she went off and look what she’s done. I think it’s a tremendous triumph. He with all the resources in the world, she basically starting over with unnamed actors, and you know, God bless her for that. It’s fascinating. I think it’s kind of criminal that they would be compared, that they would have to compete. How can you compare them? Acting wise? Mo’Nique, Mo’Nique, Mo’Nique. I have never been so absolutely floored by the courage and the performance she gave. It was amazing. I’m writing her a fan letter. In my day, a few well-known actresses wrote to me when they saw something I did, and it meant the world to me. So I’m going to write her a letter to let her know she’s my hero. I’m so proud of her.
Becky Reed
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