Stranger Things cast then vs now: How old were the child actors in season 1, and what’s their age in season 5?

Volume 1 of Stranger Things season 5 began streaming on Netflix on November 26, 2025. The final season of the show created by brothers Matt and Ross Duffer will be released in three parts. Following the four-episode premiere, the second and third installments will arrive on the streaming platform on Christmas Day, December 25, and New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025, respectively.

Debuting on July 15, 2016, Stranger Things season 1 began the saga of a group of kids in 1980s Hawkins, Indiana, who starts looking for their missing friend and ends up discovering a government lab that has opened a gateway to a darker dimension known as the Upside Down. In season 5, the threat has escalated to an apocalyptic scenario, with rifts opening between the two dimensions and the dark entity called Vecna threatening to unleash hell on Earth. 

Over the course of the past four seasons, Stranger Things has become a major success for the streaming platform, earning widespread praise from both critics and viewers. On Rotten Tomatoes, the popular film and television review site, it holds a 91% “fresh” critics’ rating, while the audience score is also an impressive 91%.

Exploring the cast age of Stranger Things between seasons 1 and 5

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven

Millie Bobby Brown, born on February 19, 2004, is 21 years of age during the premiere of Stranger Things season 5. While both she and her character, Eleven, were 12 years old when the series debuted back in 2016, only 4 years have passed in the show. Thus the age of Eleven in the latest installment remains 16, even though Millie is now an adult. The actress has appeared in films like the Enola Holmes series, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Damsel. 

Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler

Mike Wheeler’s age in real life ahead of the season 5 premiere is 22, while his character remains 16 on screen. At the beginning of the story, Mike was 12 years old, while Finn was 13. While the age difference between the actor and character has ballooned from one to six years, it is not an uncommon practice in television to cast older actors to play younger roles. Apart from the series, Finn is known for starring in movies such as It, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. 

Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson

While Dustin, like his friends, ages from 12 to 16 over the five seasons of Stranger Things, the actor Gaten Matarazzo ages from 14 to 23 in real life. He is reportedly only a few months older than his co-star Finn Wolfhard, and has added to his fame with other projects such as The Angry Birds Movie 2, Honor Society, and Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy.

Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair

Caleb McLaughlin, who portrayed Lucas Sinclair, was 15 years old during the show’s 2016 premiere, slightly older than the other boys in real life. This has created a bigger age gap of 16 and 24 between him and his character. While he’s only about a year older than Gaten and Finn, his physical growth over the years stands out the most, making him more noticeably matured actor among the core group. Caleb McLaughlin has also appeared in projects such as The New Edition Story, High Flying Bird, and Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi.

Noah Schnapp as Will Byers

Noah Schnapp, who played Will Byers, was 11 years old during the show’s 2016 premiere. He is the youngest of the main cast in real life, having recently turned 21, even though his character Will Byers is the same age as the other boys in the story. Noah Schnapp is known worldwide for films like Waiting for Anya, Abe, and Bridge of Spies.

Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield

Sadie Sink, who portrayed Max Mayfield, auditioned for the role in September 2016, at the age of 14. Her character, Max Mayfield, joined the gang in the second season, and is the same age as the rest of them. In season 5, Max is seen as a 16-year-old, while Sadie’s age is 23 in real life. Starting her acting career in theater, Sadie is known for her performances in films like The Whale, and Fear Street trilogy. 

Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair


 

Priah Ferguson, who played Lucas’ sister Erica Sinclair, was 10 years old during the show’s 2016 premiere, while her character was nine. She has returned at the age of 19 to portray Erica as a 13-year-old middle schooler to preserve continuity in the final season. Other projects that the actor has taken on over the years include The Curse of Bridge Hollow, Glitter Ain't Gold, and My Dad the Bounty Hunter.

Where to watch Stranger Things

Stranger Things is exclusively available for streaming on Netflix, the platform that has carried the show since its debut. To watch the series, viewers must subscribe to one of Netflix’s available plans.

The Basic plan costs $10.99 per month and allows streaming on a single screen in standard definition. The Standard plan, priced at $17.99 per month, lets users stream on two screens simultaneously in high definition. The Premium plan costs $22.99 per month and offers streaming on up to four screens simultaneously in ultra-high definition (UHD/4K).

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