Stranger Things Season 5 Cast Reflects On Challenging & Rewarding Scenes

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As a huge fan, it’s amazing to see how far the cast of Stranger Things has come! They’re reminiscing about their favorite moments from the show, and it got me thinking about just how massive it’s become since it first dropped in 2016. Seriously, it’s one of the biggest shows ever – right up there with giants like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad in terms of popularity and how well it’s done on streaming. It’s been Netflix’s biggest hit for a reason!

Over its five seasons, Stranger Things has launched the careers of many of its young actors. Stars like Finn Wolfhard have gone on to appear in big movies like the recent IT and Ghostbusters films, while Millie Bobby Brown has become a lead in projects like Netflix’s Enola Holmes series and the Monsterverse films. Even David Harbour has moved into leading roles after previously being known for supporting characters. For many of these actors, Stranger Things was just the beginning of their success.

With the cast’s careers flourishing, Stranger Things season 5 will conclude the story, bringing everyone back together. Picking up a little over a year after the dramatic events of season 4, the town of Hawkins is still reeling from the damage caused by Vecna and the spreading influence of the Upside Down. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches and the government once again pursues Eleven, she and her friends embark on one last mission: to finally defeat Vecna.

Before the new season begins, Ash Crossan from ScreenRant spoke with the stars of Stranger Things – Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Charlie Heaton, Maya Hawke, Natalia Dyer, and Joe Keery – about what to expect. They shared memories of working on the show, including the long night shoots and how much their characters have developed over the past five seasons.

Stranger Things Season 5 Came With Some Of The Show’s More Taxing Scenes For Brown & Schnapp

Filmed in 2015 and released in 2016, Stranger Things has been a decade-long experience for Noah Schnapp and Millie Bobby Brown, who started working on the show at age 11 and are still involved as they approach 21. While the show offered many challenging scenes to film, Schnapp revealed that the late-night shoots were particularly difficult. He remembers feeling exhausted and wanting to go home at the time, but now looks back on those shoots with fondness, calling them “so fun.”

Millie Bobby Brown admitted she doesn’t often think about the show being incredibly exhausting, but she did mention one particularly difficult day of filming for the fifth season of Stranger Things. She also recalled some challenging days shooting in the New Mexico desert during season four.

Noah Schnapp described filming the last day of season 5 as both happy and sad. Millie Bobby Brown remembered the day she was offered the role of Eleven – a phone call from the Duffer brothers asking, “Can you be our Eleven?” – and called it one of the best days of her life. She said her final day of filming felt incredibly strange, like she was leaving a part of herself behind.

It was tough for all of us at the end, as Schnapp explained. Even before the final day, he’d been writing goodbye notes and thank you letters, reflecting on all the memories he’d made with everyone. This process helped him realize how much of an impact these people had on his life and personal growth, and letting go was really difficult.

Keery, Heaton, Hawke & Dyer Underwent Some “Really Important” Growth With Their Characters

Similar to the young actors on the show, Stranger Things was just the start for Joe Keery, Charlie Heaton, Maya Hawke, and Sadie Sink. They’ve all gone on to appear in other popular projects, including Free Guy with Ryan Reynolds and the new Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie.

Despite everything, the show allowed its characters to develop in interesting ways. Joe Keery’s Steve Harrington, for example, started as a typical, somewhat shallow athlete who almost didn’t survive the first season, but grew into a major source of support for the younger characters. Similarly, Charlie Heaton’s Jonathan Byers transformed from a quiet, withdrawn person into a confident and proactive hero.

When asked about his favorite character moments from all five seasons of Stranger Things, Joe Keery highlighted the connection between Steve and Dustin in season 2. He described it as a welcome change for his character that opened up a whole new side of Steve, ultimately becoming what fans remember him for most.

Hawke was particularly pleased with Robin Buckley’s growth, noting how she evolved from needing a lot of assistance to becoming someone capable of helping others, calling it a truly meaningful development for the character. Dyer also enjoyed seeing Nancy transform from the more reserved person she was in season one into someone with greater independence and control over her own actions.

I think Nancy really grows from being someone who always plays it safe and follows the rules into a much more confident person. She learns to trust her instincts and make her own decisions, and that’s a really important part of her journey.

I remember hearing about one of their late-night shoots – apparently, it was with Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, and the younger guys, Finn and Gaten. They were all so exhausted, they said they were completely burnt out and delirious while trying to film their scenes. It sounds like a really tough night for everyone!

Keery described a humorous moment on set. He explained that with all the heavy, dirty shields and gear, it suddenly hit him how unusual the whole situation was. He specifically remembers Maya Hawke and Natalia Dyer fully dressed in their costumes, striking a pose.

Hawke also remembered filming the last scenes in the Upside Down for the fourth season of Stranger Things. Although those scenes were initially very difficult, she now looks back on them with great fondness. She recalled long nights and complicated setups, where she and the other actors had to climb through vines and be secured to walls. Despite some cast members jokingly pointing out she wasn’t in every shot, Hawke particularly enjoyed the final day of filming.

I really loved a moment at the very end of filming season four—when we were all pretty tired and walking out of the Creel house.

Yeah, I was just remembering a day during the fourth season when we spent the whole time staring at the ceiling. I think someone was using a wire for a stunt. It’s those small, memorable moments that really stand out.

Even though they’ve had great times before, Dyer hinted that some of her best moments actually happened this season, but she can’t share details yet. Heaton and Hawke both agreed. Hawke said he was “much happier this season than ever before,” and Heaton still described season 4 as “really fun,” especially enjoying being in the New Mexico desert with the newer cast members and finding it “difficult to choose” a single favorite moment.

Be sure to dive into some of our other Stranger Things season 5 coverage with:

  • Shawn Levy explaining why Stranger Things season 5 is the end for the series
  • Millie Bobby Brown assuring Stranger Things season 5’s ending will avoid other finale complaints
  • Noah Schnapp confirming that Will Byers gets a definitive ending in the final season
  • Charlie Heaton explaining how Jonathan Byers’ story is different from prior seasons
  • Shawn Levy addressing the ambiguous fate of the Byers family’s dog nine years after season 1
  • Shawn Levy naming his favorite Stranger Things scenes

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2025-11-26 22:50