‘Stranger Things’: Maya Hawke, Caleb McLaughlin & Gaten Matarazzo on the Final Episode

Maya Hawke:
We love Robin this season. Everybody’s really loving her dynamic, but she becomes this huge, unexpected catalyst for Will—helping him recognize his potential and his powers. Being that person for Will was extraordinary. Anytime you get to be on the other side of something painful, it’s such a relief. Robin’s journey on the show starts with her being extremely guarded, with all her walls up and her mask on. Slowly, through her relationship with Steve, she begins taking that mask off and letting herself be seen. Then through her relationship with Nancy, she opens up even more. It was a painful process for her to accept herself and believe that other people could accept her. So being on the other side of that pain and helping someone else through it is one of the greatest gifts in life—both as a person and as an actor.

Set secret from Season 5:
One night we were working really, really late, but we had a massive break in the middle of the night. Some of us got together, lay on the couch, and watched Madagascar.

What face will fans make at the end of the finale?
I hope there are warm, emotional reactions—lots of feelings all mixed together.

Caleb McLaughlin:
Fans are really rooting for Lucas and Max this season. Lucas is kind of left in a limbo state, just like the fans. There’s so much going on in the story. Lucas is fighting for what he’s looking for, trying to find out if she’s still around. Honestly, I’d love to see a great ending—but we’ll see.

On the final table read:
Kudos to Noah. He absolutely killed it this season. Will really stepped it up. There were so many shocking surprises at the table read, and I’m excited for people to see more and get answers to some of those unanswered questions.

Set secret from Season 5:
I don’t snitch. I’m not snitching.

What will fans look like at the end?
It was everything. A lot of emotion.

If you could bring back one character:
Bob—from an earlier season. He was there for Will. He was great.

Gaten Matarazzo:
I’m obsessed with the show this season—and with Dustin. Everybody loves him. The “if you die, I die” line in the trailer was surprising. I think they put it in to stir the pot a little, but it’s a fun callback to season three, and I’m glad it made the cut.

On the cast’s bond:
It won’t be long before we start planning reunions. We’re always finding ways to see each other, even though we live in different places and are constantly working.

On Will getting powers:
Watching that episode for the first time was jaw-dropping. The end of that episode is earth-shattering. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen on TV, and so much of it comes down to Noah’s performance. It felt inevitable—like the perfect moment for that to happen.

Set secret from Season 5:
I once used Finn or Caleb’s trailer bathroom because it was closer—and didn’t tell them. Definitely not Caleb’s though, he’s more of a germaphobe.

Final reaction from fans:
I hope there are tears. There were tears from us. Maybe some snot too—tissues are definitely needed.