The creators of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, the Duffer brothers, have opened up about a deeply personal casting decision made for season 5. The latest season of the sci-fi horror series recently debuted its first batch of episodes for the final season, which is being released in three volumes. The first four episodes have caught audiences up with the characters since the Earth-shattering finale of season 4, showing the residents of Hawkins stuck in a quarantine zone, working as an underground resistance against the military and Vecna.
Stranger Things has also focused on some new characters in season 5, such as Mike’s sister Holly, who has become a driving force in the plot, and Derek Turnbow, an unlikely ally in the fight. One character who also makes an impactful appearance is Ms. Harris, Holly and Derek’s teacher, who also notes the former’s penchant for talking to unseen forces. Ms. Harris is played by Hope Hynes Love, who Ross Duffer let fans know was a very influential force in the brothers’ high school life.
In an Instagram post, Ross Duffer shared a photo of Ms. Harris from season 5, telling fans, “She was our high school drama teacher.” The co-creator of Netflix’s Stranger Things credits Hynes Love with helping the brothers through their “rough” high school experience, noting that she helped to cultivate the spark that would put them on their career path. Duffer also used the opportunity to call for prioritizing art education and educators, saying, “Shoutout to all the teachers out there making a difference.”
High school was rough for me and my brother. But Hope saw something in us we didn’t see in ourselves — and she helped give us the confidence to not only survive those four years, but to move to LA and chase our dreams.
The Duffer Brothers Packed ‘Stranger Things’ With Influential References
Beyond casting Hope Hynes Love as Ms. Harris in season 5, the Duffer brothers have filled the show with other actors who stem from the properties that influenced them growing up. As one of the central stars of Stranger Things, Winona Ryder, who was a star during their formative years, is front and center. Still, the show features actors such as Linda Hamilton, known for the Terminator films, Sean Astin, star of The Goonies, and Paul Reiser, from James Cameron’s Aliens, highlighting a wide variety of nostalgic properties that shaped them into the creators they became.
Aside from casting, Stranger Things is also packed with aesthetic references to the films and television shows that influenced them. The first season featured strong imagery inspired by Steven Spielberg’s E.T., with the following seasons continuing the trend. The show has referenced Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, among others. While the show is rife with influential content, the Duffer brothers appear to be showing appreciation to those who helped mold them, even beyond film and TV, with the remaining season 5 episodes likely to feature more Ms. Harris and potentially other unique casting choices.
- Release Date
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2016 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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Netflix
- Writers
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Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock