Netflix’s 42-Episode Series Deserves Credit for Turning an Unknown Cast Into Stars

A breakout Netflix hit

Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things follows a group of children in Hawkins, Indiana, as they encounter supernatural dangers and government conspiracies. Set in the 1980s, it became a hit for Netflix after its 2016 premiere and ran for five seasons.

The series broke streaming records and grew into one of Netflix’s biggest shows. As its popularity increased, the story’s scope and cast expanded, bringing new fan favorites such as Robin Buckley, played by Maya Hawke, and Eddie Munson, played by Joseph Quinn.

A larger cast, less room

The show’s expanding ensemble had a downside, according to the article: several original characters were sidelined in the finale. The original group, including the Dungeons & Dragons-playing kids and Eleven, had helped draw viewers to the series.

Winona Ryder was the best-known cast member when the show began. Although the actors were already working, most of the young performers—including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin—were early in their careers. David Harbour had worked for more than two decades but was not widely known to average viewers.

New opportunities on screen

After the first season, cast members began landing prominent roles. Brown starred in Netflix’s Enola Holmes films and appeared in the Godzilla franchise; Wolfhard took roles in It and Ghostbusters, while Harbour joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Red Guardian.

Others built credits outside major franchises. Joe Keery appeared in Free Guy, Matarazzo performed in Dear Evan Hansen and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Sadie Sink drew Oscar nomination attention for The Whale. Sink joined the show in its second season.

Careers after the finale

The series finale aired on December 31, 2025, but cast members have continued working. Brown starred in Enola Holmes 3, while Ryder was set to appear in Wednesday season 3. Sink made her Marvel debut as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day and is slated to reprise the role in Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) and an untitled 2028 X-Men film.