6. Gaten Matarazzo was cast after just one audition.
The Duffer brothers gave the role of Dustin to Gaten after just sending in one audition tape. It’s no secret that he’s one of the fan-favorites of the show – he kills it every single time. Matt Duffer told The New York Times:
“When you see someone like Gaten, and he pops teh wa y he does, you’re just like ‘This kid, we’re putting him in the show, 100 percent.”
7. Finn Wolfhard is a huge movie buff.
Apparently, the Duffer brothers assigned some “homework” for research for anyone auditioning – to watch some movies they thought would help with the roles. But, Finn had already seen them all.
8. Millie Bobby Brown was discovered by someone else – someone very important.
Stephen King – the Stephen King – had tweeted about Millie Bobby Brown way before the Duffer brothers had cast her as Eleven. MBB appeared on a British show “Intruders” and Stephen King had taken a liking to her character.
Millie Brown, the girl in INTRUDERS, is terrific. Is it my imagination, or are child actors a lot better than they used to be?
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 28, 2014
9. It took a four-hour meeting to get Winona Ryder to play Joyce.
The Duffer brothers said they spent the four-hour meeting really just shooting the sh*t and getting to know each other, rather than pitching Ryder on the show. They told “Entertainment Weekly” that she signed on the project the day after their meeting.
10. Millie Bobby Brown almost “quit acting” before landing this iconic role.
In an interview with Variety, MBB discussed the hardships young actors go through and said she felt like she “couldn’t do it anymore.” But, after she landed the role of a lifetime, everything changed.