Unsung heroes of cinema. Part 5. Jenette Goldstein.

You recognise their faces but you aren't quite sure where from. You see them and go "HIM!! I see him in everything" and then you forget them. There's a fleeting recognition that disappears as soon as they die in, usually, violent ways. These are the actors that if, IF, you notice them, don't turn up in the opening credits of a film. In fact you'll have to do some pretty lengthy searching of the closing scrolling credits to find them

Our first woman on the list.

Jenette Goldstein.

A chameleon of an actor. She's played a traditional Irish mammy, an L.A.P.D. cop, an foster mother to a troubled son, a desert vampire, a space federation officer and a bad ass hard as nails marine. Faced off against the xenomorph with some of the biggest coolest weapons ever and been killed by diving board bombs, icebergs, sunlight and blokes with swords for arms.

Great briar face

Never a big presence in the films she's in still but still managed to create an unforgettable action cinema icon and also be a part of the biggest film of all time. Lately her career has been more TV than film but Jenette still pops up regularly. And I always go "GWAN VASQUEZ!!" every time I see her.

"You always were an asshole Gorman"

Greatest hits

Aliens. Damn near steals the film as Private Vasquez. Mad for action and not willing to go gently into that dark night. An incredibly iconic character for the geekier of us. The first of her 3 collaborations with James Cameron. 

Near Dark. Kathryn Bigalow's seriously underrated vampire film is a cracker and Goldstein is great as a bloodthirsty mother figure of the group.

Lethal Weapon 2. The lone female cop in the squad. Doesnt get to do much but gets an incredibly OTT death scene when the baddies of the film go on a rampage. Who bombs a swimming pool??? Evil South Africans, thats who!

Terminator 2. Plays John Connor's foster mother in this and takes part in a very memorable scene involving an unfortunate Xander Berkeley, a milk carton and a surprise impalement.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4