Who’s Who From The Cast Of ‘Stranger Things’ Season Three
The popular Netflix original series Stranger Things will be returning for a fourth season. All the pandemonium from fans at the very beginning meant Netflix had a hit, but the show would be nothing without the genius casting.
As the seasons progressed the show added numerous talented actors to fill these iconic roles. Some are already familiar faces, while others are relatively new to the scene. Get to know the cast of Stranger Things season 3 and discover the other acting projects they've participated in.
Michael Park Is A Broadway Superstar
The Stranger Things cast grew exponentially with the third season as they welcomed many new performers to play original and compelling roles. One particularly memorable performance was Michael Park as Tom Holloway. Viewers first met him as Nancy's misogynist boss at the local newspaper, but when the Mind Flayer takes control of his body he becomes a living terror.
Park has played roles in other prominent television shows such as As the World Turns, The Good Wife, House of Cards, Gotham, and You. But, he's mainly recognized for originating the role of Larry Murphy in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen.
Cary Elwes Is No Stranger To Fans Of 1980s Films
Cary Elwes as Mayor Larry Kline didn't have the largest part in the most recent season, but his believable characterization filled with sinister and conniving qualities made him a definite scene-stealer. The thrilling scenes he had with Jim Hopper (David Harbour) kept audiences at the edge of their seats.
He was mainly cast for this 1980s-set show because of his 80s film icon status. Elwes' most popular role was Westley in 1987's The Princess Bride. He also appeared in Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Saw, Liar Liar, and Kiss the Girls.
Gabriella Pizzolo's Neverending Story
This young actress is relatively new to the entertainment industry. Gabriella Pizzolo appeared for only a brief moment of the third season of Stranger Things as Dustin's long-distance girlfriend, Suzie. Her duet with Gaten Matarazzo, singing the theme from The Neverending Story, was almost all everyone talked about.
Apart from her role on the show, she's had minor parts on other TV series including Butterbean's Café and Beaches. Like a lot of the cast, Pizzolo feels most comfortable performing on Broadway. She is best known for stepping into one of the leading roles of the Tony Award-winning musical, Fun Home, as Small Alison.
Maya Hawke Has Very Famous Parents
As soon as viewers watched the first scene with Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley they were instantly hooked. We first meet her as a scooper at an ice cream parlor, but get to see how committed she is to helping her friends and doing what's right.
If she looks familiar it may be because both of her parents are some of Hollywood's most famous stars. Her mother is Uma Thurman (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction) and her father is Ethan Hawke (Training Day, Before Sunrise). The 21-year-old was mostly kept out of the limelight until she started professionally acting in 2017.
Get to Know the Real Dacre Montgomery
Stranger Things had plenty of villainous creatures to deal with during the first season, but the show needed a human antagonist to up the stakes. Dacre Montgomery joined the cast in the second season to play Max's older stepbrother, Billy Hargrove. The audience only got a glimpse into why Billy was utterly vicious in the second season, but quickly saw in the third season how he developed.
Something unique about Montgomery is that he's actually Australian and has been a part of a few acting projects down under. He is probably best known for playing Jason (Red Ranger) in 2017's Power Rangers.
You've Most Likely Seen Brett Gelman Before
At the start of the second season of Stranger Things the town of Hawkins, Indiana was still in shock over the disappearance of Barb. This led to the creation of a new character named Murray Bauman, played by Brett Gelman. Murray knew that the Russians were up to something secretive, so he decided to do some investigative reporting with the help of Nancy and Jonathan.
Gelman isn't a stranger to the entertainment scene because he's been acting since 1998. He's worked in both film and television with projects including Curb Your Enthusiasm, Kroll Show, and Fleabag.
Francesca Reale Gave a Memorable Performance
Billy becomes the Mind Flayer's host at the beginning of season three, but it doesn't stop at just him. Heather Holloway (Francesca Reale) works with Billy as a lifeguard at the community pool and quickly becomes a victim to the Mind Flayer's evil doings.
Reale's performance as Heather had great depth because she had to be sassy, scared, ruthless, and vulnerable at the flip of a switch. Younger viewers may recognize Reale from her series regular role as Emily in the Netflix original, Haters Back Off!.
How Alec Utgoff Became A Fan-Favorite Character on Stranger Things
Even though Alec Utgoff didn't speak a word of English as Dr. Alexei he still became one of the most watchable characters from season three. Dr. Alexei was originally working for the Russians, but after being captured by Jim Hopper he realized he wanted to switch over to helping the Americans.
Fans of the show loved how innocent and hilarious he was and were upset that he didn't make it to the end. Those who want to see more of Utgoff's acting chops should check out Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, San Andreas, and Power Monkeys.
Priah Ferguson is Not Just Another Child Actor
At 13 years old, Priah Ferguson is the youngest member of the main Stranger Things cast, but that definitely doesn't hinder her acting capabilities. During the second season, viewers got to see her as Lucas' younger and quick-witted sister Erica, but by the third season she demonstrated how much she could contribute to helping the gang stop the Russians from destroying the town.
Even at her young age, she has performed in various acting projects including roles in Atlanta, The Oath, and Mercy Street. It will be interesting to see what season four has in store for her.
Sadie Sink Proves She's More Than a Sidekick
After the first season ended many fans knew that Eleven would go down as one of the most powerful female TV characters in history. The next season, Sadie Sink was added to the cast to balance out the boy/girl proportions and to add another distinct female voice.
Sink has dabbled in the entertainment industry with parts in The Americans, Blue Bloods, American Odyssey, and The Glass Castle. She also is one of many members of the cast with a Broadway past, including a featured role in Annie.
Randy Havens May Be the Most Convincing Early-80s Middle School Science Teacher Ever
The kids and even a few adults look to middle school science teacher, Mr. Clarke (Randy Havens), for advice when confused by the supernatural powers taking over their small town of Hawkins. He always seems to have all the answers and can explain everything in a way that's both simple and informative.
Havens is so convincing as his character that it's easy to forget he's been in plenty of other projects. Some of his past acting jobs include Halt and Catch Fire, The Vampire Diaries, Sleepy Hollow, and Boy Erased.
Cara Buono's Impressive Acting Resume
Viewers only saw little snippets of Cara Buono as Mrs. Wheeler throughout the first couple seasons, but by the third season she was promoted to a leading role. One of the more interesting storylines was her new secret romance with high school heartthrob, Billy. Fans were rooting for her to leave her dull husband and run off with the younger man.
Her acting credits are quite impressive. She got her first professional role in 1989 and has been acting ever since in movies and shows such as Mad Men, The Sopranos, Person of Interest, and The Carrie Diaries.
Why Peggy Miley Looks So Familiar
Nancy and Jonathan immediately knew something was wrong in Hawkins when they went to investigate an old woman named Mrs. Driscoll (Peggy Miley). When she starts acting strangely by eating manure and having serious convulsions the audience finds out that she is one of the many people who have been taken over by the Mind Flayer.
Don't let Peggy Miley's ripe age of 78 fool you because she is still a big part of the entertainment industry as she sails into her golden years. Viewers may have seen her face on their screens in titles including Boy Meets World, Freaks and Geeks, and Modern Family.
Jake Busey Looks Exactly Like His Famous Dad
Sometimes there are characters without any redeeming qualities and that's true for Bruce in Stranger Things season three. Jake Busey as Bruce is a snobbish, heartless journalist who ends up being controlled by the Mind Flayer and almost ending Nancy's life.
Since viewers of the show can see that Busey is capable of playing a sinister man, they may want to know his other acting credits. As of 2019, he's played 111 professional roles in projects including CSI: Miami, Ray Donovan, and Starship Troopers. Also, he is the son of the famous actor Gary Busey.
Catherine Curtin Needs More Screen Time
After the first season's huge success, the makers of Stranger Things wanted to introduce the audience to the family members of the other main characters. By the second season we find out that Dustin lives with his mother and their precious cat, Mews. Catherine Curtin plays Claudia Henderson. She's a bit naive, but will do anything to make her son happy.
Curtin has been acting for quite a while and has appeared in many prestigious projects such as Orange Is the New Black, Homeland, and The Wolf of Wall Street. For fans who want to see her in something new, she currently has 13 projects set to release within the next year.
Sean Astin Is Filling Audiences With 80s Nostalgia
The creators of Stranger Things are very open about their desire to fill it with as many 80s references as they can. One of their biggest inspirations was Steven Spielberg's The Goonies, which starred a young Sean Astin. Luckily, they were able to cast him in the role of Bob Newby by the show's second season.
Astin also had some other fan-favorite roles in the Lord of the Rings franchise, Rudy, and most recently on the Netflix original series, No Good Nick. He is another member of the Stranger Things cast with famous parents because his mom was Patty Duke and his stepfather was John Astin.
Joe Chrest Doesn't Stop Acting
At first glance, Ted Wheeler may seem like a dull husband and father, but Joe Chrest proved he could make his character three dimensional. After watching the first three seasons the majority of viewers can tell that Ted is someone who cares deeply about the safety of his family.
This isn't Chrest's first rodeo with acting. He has performed in 119 films and TV shows and over 60 plays and musicals within the last 26 years. Some of his most memorable roles include 21 and 22 Jump Street, Ocean's Thirteen, True Detective, and Ant-Man.
Fans Weren't Mad About Paul Reiser's Role
When Will becomes the first host of the Mind Flayer in the second season he turned to Dr. Sam Owens (Paul Reiser) for help. Dr. Owens was the newly appointed executive at the United States Department of Energy, but decided to leave when Hawkins Lab was attacked.
Since the creators of Stranger Things have a lot of 1980s pop culture nods in the show they try to get actors from that era. Reiser's most popular '80s projects were Aliens, Beverly Hills Cop, and My Two Dads. He also was the male lead on the hit '90s sitcom Mad About You.
Matty Cardarople Is Playing A Teen At Almost 40 Years Old
Stranger Things has many intense scenes dealing with both horror and drama, so the show needs some quick, intermittent bouts of comedy to relieve the tension. One of the hottest spots in Hawkins is the arcade, which is managed by teen misfit Keith (Matty Cardarople). He gives the kids a hard time, but will sometimes take part in their shenanigans.
Cardarople may play a teen on the show, but he's actually almost 40 and has appeared in over 50 acting credits. His past work includes roles on Scrubs, Selfie, Jurassic World, and A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Caroline Arapoglou Is Just Starting Her Hollywood Journey
Caroline Arapoglou is relatively new to show business, but that hasn't stopped her from earning roles on today's most popular movies and TV shows. She played Winnie Kline, the mayor's wife and friend of Mrs. Wheeler, on Stranger Things. It may not be the juiciest part, but at least she got to relax by the pool in most of her scenes.
Within the last few years Arapoglou has worked on numerous projects including Atlanta, Hot Summer Nights, and The Resident. She's also set to be a series regular on a new Netflix show called Outer Banks.
