Interview with Stranger Things extras casting director Heather Taylor about what happened behind the hit TV series.
Stranger Things has become a pop-culture phenomenon. Last week, Netflix finally confirmed that there will be a second season of the hit TV series. In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Duffer Brothers explained that season two is not too much longer, to make sure it is manageable and so “it is never treading water.”
But, before Stranger Things was a hit TV series, Heather Taylor, the unknown hero and background acting director, was tirelessly working on the series. We were luckily able to catch up with the casting director to discuss what it was like working on the Netflix series, what were the biggest challenges, and what it was like to cast so many high school actors.
How does it feel to see Stranger Things become an overnight success on Netflix?
The moment I met the creators and the cast I knew it was going to be giant success. These kids have the most incredible personalities and are so unique- they also embody the traits of their characters, and are fantastic actors- thats a trifecta right there. There are no current shows out there that have a main cast of almost all kids, unless you’re watching Disney or Nickelodeon (which is targeted for one specific age group). This show felt relatable to every age, from kids to adults. I would get totally lost from the outside world when I would read the scripts, not to mention how much everyone loves the 80s (including myself), how could this not be a hit!
What was your experience as a casting director on ‘Stranger Things’?
Being the extras casting director on “Stranger Things” was probably the most fun experience to date. Everyone was so hands on and it was almost like a game. We started casting a little over a month before we started shooting. Kalas and I requested that about 800 Males (Kids and Adults) should stop cutting their hair and let it grow, and that they should follow up with us by sending photos when they felt their hair had reached the right length for the 80s.
With these photos we compiled everyone into age groups and then put them into binders. Whenever we had to pick out specific roles we would go into our “Stranger Things” binder database and sit down with the various directors, and of course the Duffer Brothers, to select the right person for each respective role.
There are a lot of high school scenes that really showcased the talent of the background actors on ‘Stranger Things’, have any exciting stories about working on set of ‘Stranger Things’?
Thank you so much! 
That means so much to us! No crazy stories. Our background holding was in the cafeteria of the school and each time we all gathered, there was always such a nostalgic feeling like we were back at school ourselves. There was no WiFi in the cafeteria either so it was a great way for us to all get lost in the moment and feel like we were back in the 80s. Everyone seemed to form into groups, some would color, play cards, or just talk all day, even though everyone of course had a cell phone, I rarely saw people just isolate and binge on their phone. There really was a sense of togetherness – It was just loads of fun and laughter.
What were the Duffer Brothers like?
They are Epic, Creative Geniuses, and Kids at Heart – it was always so much fun & fascinating watching them work together. They are so mentally connected, you can tell they have been imagining and planning the world of “Stranger Things” since they were kids themselves.
This was all their vision and they invited us to be a part of it, Kalas & I are honored / forever grateful for this experience. It was everything you could imagine it would be, plus more!
Any advice you would like to share to aspiring actors and fans of ‘Stranger Things’?
Don’t cut your hair and study your 80s trivia – if you are not an 80s kid like myself, you should now focus on becoming one.
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