Linda Hamilton shares personal link to role as woman with dementia

Linda Hamilton has shared that she has a deeply personal connection to her latest role.

The Terminator star appeared in the Season 4 premiere episode of TV thriller Dark Winds as Barbara Sena, the wife of Scarborough Police Department Acting Chief Gordo Sena, played by A Martinez.

To step into her character, who has dementia, Hamilton drew upon her own experience with her late mother, who not only shared the character's name but also her journey with dementia.

"My mother had dementia for 25 years," Hamilton told People magazine.

"I swear to you, I went in for the fitting, and the whole thing takes place in the '70s, and they pulled out some shoes for my character that were my mother's shoes. I mean, they were the exact colour of taupe that my mother would wear to extend the leg. And it was a very specific colour from the '70s, '80s. It just felt really sweet to be doing this to kind of honour her."

In Dark Winds, Hamilton's character doesn't understand the extent of her dementia.

"I have spent a lot of time wondering, When does a person know? Do you know?" Hamilton says. "I never really witnessed that part of dementia where someone really knows that they're losing it. I have some friends now that are going through that, and have watched them over the years kind of fail mentally. So, there's every good reason to play this part."

Through the role, Hamilton hopes to show the poignancy of dealing with dementia.

"People around them are missing them while they're right there."