Why David Harbour and Winona Ryder aren’t in Stranger Things’ One Last Adventure

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Good news for fans of Stranger Things: a new behind-the-scenes documentary is now available on Netflix. One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 offers a special look at how the show’s final season was made, following its recent conclusion.

The documentary includes interviews with the creators, the Duffer Brothers, and people who worked on the show, but key cast members David Harbour (who plays Jim Hopper) and Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers) aren’t featured in it.

In an interview with Variety, director Martina Radwan shared the reason why the adult actors weren’t included in any interviews.

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We simply couldn’t find the opportunity to meet. They were occupied with other work, and it was hard to schedule time together, she explained. We really tried to connect with David and Winona, but it just didn’t work out.

Even though Harbour and Ryder didn’t participate in the documentary, viewers will still hear from Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), and Noah Schnapp (Will Byers). Millie Bobby Brown did her interview while still dressed as Eleven, and even included her character’s signature nosebleed.

Radwan explained that Millie came up with the idea. On her last day of work, she insisted on staying in character. Apparently, Millie, being true to herself, playfully gave several people nosebleeds as a farewell gift!

The documentary includes behind-the-scenes glimpses of the writing process, conversations on set, and the cast’s emotional farewells as the show finished filming.

It was a challenging experience, both because of the sheer number of storylines to wrap up and the strong emotions involved. For many of the characters, it marked the end of a significant chapter in their lives – sometimes even half or a quarter of their total lifespan. And for the creators, the Duffer brothers, this meant saying goodbye to Stranger Things forever. The director felt it was crucial to bring all these endings together in a cohesive way.

The Duffer brothers, Matt and Ross, insisted on having the final scene. I originally envisioned a single farewell moment, wanting to keep all the goodbyes together as a collective experience – not just for the characters, but for everyone involved in making the show, including the crew.

Honestly, Matt and Ross were the biggest shock to me. I really figured they’d be the ones to keep it together, you know? But after ten years, I guess it’s just… hard to do that.

All five seasons of Stranger Things, plus the behind-the-scenes documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, are now available to watch on Netflix.

Read more Stranger Things news on our dedicated homepage

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2026-01-12 10:19