Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard has dished on what it was like to work with Sean Astin in the upcoming second season of the Netflix smash hit.
The series which pays homage to many iconic films from the ’80s features a young set of characters — including Wolfhard’s Mike Wheeler — who are inspired by the kids of both The Goonies and Stand By Me. For season two, the series has brought on several new cast members including Astin who led the cast of The Goonies as Mikey.
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter to promote the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund’s upcoming inaugural benefit concert “Strange 80s,” which he will be hosting this Sunday, May 14, at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles, Wolfhard shared his delight to have had the chance to work with the actor who played a character which inspired his own:
“Sean Astin was in the Goonies and I get to play with him now in Stranger Things. He is not just a great actor but also a great mentor and really just the highest quality human you could hope for. We also have Paul Reiser from Aliens, and he is also the best. Such a pro.”
In Stranger Things 2, Astin plays Bob Newby, the local Radio Shack manager and new boyfriend of Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and as Wolfhard mentioned, the series has also brought on Paul Reiser as Dr. Owens, a high-ranking member of the Department of Energy who is on a “clean-up” assignment, tasked with containing the events that occurred in the fall of 1983. Dr. Owens has been directly inspired by Reiser’s iconic company man Burke from Aliens.
During the same interview, Wolfhard also touched on the fake trailer and lookbook put together by The Duffer Brothers that helped showcase their vision for the series when they shopped it around Hollywood. The young actor revealed that he limited his research for the part to what Matt and Ross Duffer provided him with because he feels his character resonates with people because of who Mike is and not the era he lives in:
“I had already seen most of the films that the Duffers referenced in their fake trailer and look book – I just looked at that and a thing they put together covering culture and politics back then. That was pretty much all I did as far as research goes because the stuff that Mike has to deal with – I mean, there’s a really universal thing going on with how he acts and reacts to his situation, and I don’t think the time and setting are as important as who he really is way deep down.”
Stranger Things 2 stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, and Noah Schnapp. The series has also added Brett Gelman (Jobs), Will Chase (Nashville), Dacre Montgomery (Power Rangers), Danish actress Linnea Berthelsen, and broadway star Sadie Sink.
The adventure continues in the fall of 1984 as the world is turning upside down. Stay tuned to Heroic Hollywood for the latest news on Stranger Things as we learn it.
Stranger Things 2 hits Netflix this Halloween.
Source: THR
