ABOUT THE SHOW

On November 6, 1983, in the town of Hawkins, Indiana, 12-year-old Will Byers vanishes mysteriously. Will's frantic mother, Joyce, searches for him while Police Chief Jim Hopper launches his own investigation. Will's friends Dustin, Mike, and Lucas discover a psychokinetic girl who claims to know Will's location. As they uncover the truth, a sinister government agency tries to cover it up, while a more insidious force lurks below the surface.

Stranger Things is an American science fiction-horror web television series created by the Duffer Brothers. It is written and directed by Matt and Ross Duffer and executive-produced by Shawn Levy. The show is set in the 1980s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, and is a homage to 1980s pop culture, inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Spielberg, John Carpenter, Stephen King, Robert Zemeckis, and George Lucas, among others.

CHARACTERS

(hover to see description)

Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, the younger brother of Jonathan Byers and the son of Joyce Byers. He vanishes after encountering the monster. Schnapp was promoted to a main cast member for the second season, after recurring in the first season.

Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, one of Will's friends. His cleidocranial dysplasia causes him to lisp.

Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, one of Will's friends. He is wary of Eleven.

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven ("El"), a young girl with psychokinetic abilities and a limited vocabulary. She befriends Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. It is eventually revealed that she is actually Jane Ives, the biological daughter of Terry Ives. She escaped from Hawkins Laboratory where experiments were being performed on her.

Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, son of Karen, younger brother of Nancy, and one of three friends of Will Byers. He is an intelligent and conscientious student and is committed to his friends.

Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, daughter of Karen, older sister of Mike, and girlfriend of Steve Harrington.

Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, the boyfriend of Nancy Wheeler. A popular student at the high school, he initially tries to develop a relationship with Nancy and ostracize Jonathan Byers, though he comes to regret the latter. Keery was promoted to a main cast member for the second season, after recurring in the first season.

Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, the older brother of Will Byers and the son of Joyce Byers. Considered an outsider at school, he is a quiet teenager and an aspiring photographer. He is very close with his mother and brother, and has a secret crush on Nancy Wheeler.

Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, mother of 12-year-old Will Byers and teenager Jonathan Byers. Divorced from Lonnie, she relies on her older son, Jonathan, for help.

David Harbour as Jim Hopper, chief of Hawkins Police Department. Hopper divorced after his young daughter died of cancer, which caused him to lapse into alcoholism.

Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler, mother of teenaged Nancy, middle schooler Mike, and toddler Holly.

Matthew Modine as Martin Brenner, the scientist in charge of Hawkins Laboratory and the experiments performed there. He is manipulative and remote. He and his team are searching for Eleven.

Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, the younger brother of Jonathan Byers and the son of Joyce Byers. He vanishes after encountering the monster. Schnapp was promoted to a main cast member for the second season, after recurring in the first season.

Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, one of Will's friends. His cleidocranial dysplasia causes him to lisp.

Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, one of Will's friends. He is wary of Eleven.

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven ("El"), a young girl with psychokinetic abilities and a limited vocabulary. She befriends Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. It is eventually revealed that she is actually Jane Ives, the biological daughter of Terry Ives. She escaped from Hawkins Laboratory where experiments were being performed on her.

Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, son of Karen, younger brother of Nancy, and one of three friends of Will Byers. He is an intelligent and conscientious student and is committed to his friends.

Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, daughter of Karen, older sister of Mike, and girlfriend of Steve Harrington.

Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, the boyfriend of Nancy Wheeler. A popular student at the high school, he initially tries to develop a relationship with Nancy and ostracize Jonathan Byers, though he comes to regret the latter. Keery was promoted to a main cast member for the second season, after recurring in the first season.

Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, the older brother of Will Byers and the son of Joyce Byers. Considered an outsider at school, he is a quiet teenager and an aspiring photographer. He is very close with his mother and brother, and has a secret crush on Nancy Wheeler.

Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, mother of 12-year-old Will Byers and teenager Jonathan Byers. Divorced from Lonnie, she relies on her older son, Jonathan, for help.

David Harbour as Jim Hopper, chief of Hawkins Police Department. Hopper divorced after his young daughter died of cancer, which caused him to lapse into alcoholism.

Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler, mother of teenaged Nancy, middle schooler Mike, and toddler Holly.

Matthew Modine as Martin Brenner, the scientist in charge of Hawkins Laboratory and the experiments performed there. He is manipulative and remote. He and his team are searching for Eleven.

NETFLIX