Since it burst onto our screens in 2016, paranormal drama Stranger Things has been one of Netflix’s most-watched shows. The fifth and final season will be released in stages toward the end of the year, with the first installment coming out on 26 November and the final episode landing on New Year’s Eve. The coming-of-age tale has made the careers of young actors such as Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, and Joseph Quinn while reminding audiences of our enduring love for older talents such as Winona Ryder and David Harbour. The casting department clearly knows what it’s doing, so let’s take a look at how they did it.
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Stranger Things is a retro supernatural sci-fi drama set in the 1980s. It centres on a group of teenage misfits whose all-American lives are threatened by the dodgy experiments going on at a local government lab. Things start to get very strange when a portal to a dark parallel universe known as the Upside Down opens up and unleashes all sorts of mayhem. Created by the Duffer Brothers, it’s also a nostalgic love letter to ’80s pop culture, from the pulsating synth soundtrack to the neon-lit arcade showdowns to its characters nerding out over the tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons.
LA-based Carmen Cuba has been the show’s casting director since the start, casting what was then a young company of largely unknown actors who did all have some experience. She auditioned 2,000 kids before making her final selections. A common theme of their audition tapes was dedication. Wolfhard sent in a self-tape from his sickbed, while British actor Brown auditioned in an American accent over Skype.
“The best habit I think an actor can have is to be prepared enough that he/she can use that preparation to feel confident and playful in the audition – even if it’s not necessarily a playful role,” Cuba told Backstage. “And to not judge themselves while they are in the middle of it if they feel like it’s going sideways is also key. It’s such a vulnerable thing to go into these rooms and put everything into these fleeting moments. Filling them with an actual creative exchange should be key.”
Dacre Montgomery, who played Billy, told Backstage it’s important to stand out and make “bold decisions” in your audition. “The main thing you can do is be confident in what you’re giving them,” says Natalia Dyer, who played Nancy. “The trick for an actor is: This is me, this is my version — take it or leave it. It’s a hard thing to do.”
Although Stranger Things has wrapped, there are plenty of new American dramas searching for talent, so keep your eyes peeled for open casting calls. Also read our useful guides to ensure you’re audition ready when the moment comes. Good luck!
- Expert Advice on Making a Self-Tape
- How to Prepare for a Movie Audition
- 15 Contemporary Monologues for Your Next Audition