A bazillion of suspicious rats. More of Eleven's nose bleeding and superpower. Mike smooching El. Will's ongoing connection to The Upside Down. Something that caused Dustin to go, "Holy Mother of God". A new mall where you have fun and also hide from monsters (as you do). And Billy's mullet. These are just some of the strange things coming to Hawkins in the third season of Stranger Things. (see what I did?)
You may have already pieced together (and get excited about) some of what you can expect from the popular sci-fi horror series based on its several trailers. But, if you're still curious to know more, you're in luck because I spent one-on-one time with Millie Bobby Brown, Eleven herself, to talk about the much-anticipated new season. Stranger Things returns on July 4 exclusively on Netflix for an eight-episode run.
Let's get back to the beginning. How did you prepare to portray El[even]? She's not an average teenage girl.
I guess I just didn't. And that's why it came out the way it did. I just want to be super authentic and instinctual. I want to embody a real person. You don't have to prepare to be a real person.
Tell us about the reaction to Season 2. How does it compare to when Season 1 came out?
The expectations were much higher for Season 2. I guess we were just like really in shock about how well the first season did, it was very confusing for everyone. We were filming in Georgia for eight months for the first season. I shaved my hair off. We didn't know how people would receive it. Then, once it came out, we were like, 'Um, it's not that bad'.
And then Season 2 was amazing. The new characters, Sadie [Sink, who plays Max] especially, added a new edge and dimension to the show.
Tell us a little bit more about Eleven and Max relationship in the new season.
Max and El[even] are really cool, because they're teaching each other new things about themselves every day. I'm teaching Max to kind of be strong and use her voice and that it's okay to feel. Eleven's so emotional and she's been through so much. Max is showing El that she doesn't need a boy in her life, and she's gonna be cool just the way she is. The relationship this season's so awesome because El doesn't have an actual girl figure in her life that she can go to if she's sad or lonely, so Max and El kind of develop that this season. I think that's a really nice touch.
How did you see El evolved in season 3?
She's definitely become more emotional, rightly so. Stronger, rightly so. As a person, she's grown definitely.
Tell us about some of the other things that happen to El this season.
She has a dad [James Hopper, portrayed by David Harbour], and they love each other. It's a nice collaboration of people. Eleven is trying to be a normal teenager but there's something coming after her, something extremely deadly and scary. And she can't really allow herself to be normal when something like that is not allowing her to. She always has to be on her guard. Her superpowers need to be ready. It's intense.
Speaking of superpowers, El possesses many of them. What kind of superpower you would like to have?
Probably healing. I think there's a lot of healing that needs to be done in this world.
What did you think when you first read that El and Mike [Wheeler, played by Finn Wolfhard] make out and you go shopping?
I kept asking the Duffer Brothers, 'How should Eleven make-out? Does she know fully how to? Is it difficult -- is it different for her?' You know, it's like kissing an alien. He has to kiss me, but do I know how to kiss? It's definitely a different kind of a dynamic. It's not like a regular teenager just making out. It was definitely difficult, and especially rehearsal, which is also kind of awkward, too.
It's good that me and Finn are very close and we can do that stuff without question. But to just try and be a normal teenager at the beginning of this season was fun. And just for me to be able to be with the kids and laugh and joke, but then the more the season goes on, the darker it gets.
What kind of boyfriend is Mike?
Mike is a great boyfriend. If we just put Mike in the real world, I would date him. He's very honest and he's very true to himself, which is really awesome. And I feel like Eleven's also a great girlfriend. She cares so much about him. She's the protector in the relationship because she has powers, but also because she's been taught to protect herself for so long that she wants to protect someone else. Mike doesn't protect. I think that's just not his job. He is a lover.
What is the arrival of Starcourt mall mean for the kids and for Hawkins?
It's a new era, the summer of 1985. It's added a little bit of colour and a little bit of jazz, and it's fun. But I didn't know that so many people were in Hawkins though. There was like 1,000 extras, and I was thinking, 'Whoa, where did all these people come from?'. But apparently, everybody comes into this mall. It's like the place to be.
What was your favourite scene to film this season?
All my scenes in the [Starcourt] mall having fun with Sadie, because it was so natural and organic. She's my best friend in real life. Nobody had to tell us what to do -- it was just like two teenage girls playing Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and having the best time.
There're a lot of women on the set this season.
And they're amazing women too. Maya [Hawke, who plays Robin] is a new addition, and she's awesome. I love her. Natalia [Dyer, who plays Nancy], she's been there since day one and she's amazing. Priah [Ferguson, who plays Erica], who's this sassy little cute being that I love so much. She's so cute and angry, but it's great because she's also really funny. And then Sadie's the best, because she's so powerful, just with her eyes. The way she speaks through her craft, it's awesome. Winona [Ryder], who's our mom, the mother of all the girls on the show. She's an icon. She has been an icon, always will be an icon. I feel like everyone, all the girls on the show, are trying to just follow in her footsteps. We can't quite get there, and I don't think we'll ever get there, because she's just an icon and we love her. I think, as soon as her name is attached to the show, everybody wanted to listen. It was an amazing experience for her to come back with such a strong show. She was incredible in it.
What's it like working with the Duffer brothers and Shawn Levy?
I love them so much. The Duffer brothers are the best. They're my brothers. That's a really healthy relationship. It's such a collaboration between us. You feel comfortable to voice your opinion around them. You feel comfortable to do crazy things in scenes and sometimes they keep the crazy things and sometimes they don't. When you feel comfortable in set, that's one of my favourite things in the world because that's when the rawest things pour out of you.
There are several nicknames for fans of Stranger Things out there -- Eggos, Demogorgons and Strangers. Would you like to endorse one?
I like Strangers. I think that's cute.
Any memorable moments with fans you would like to share?
I have many. A lot of fans cry when they meet me and it's pretty crazy but I've never cried in front of a fan, except for one time I cried because of this boy. He was about ten. He ran up to me and he just started crying and hugging me and I couldn't stop crying back. I think it was really impactful to realise that people really do love Eleven, Stranger Things and me as a person. I'm so lucky to be able to meet the fans as well. And I do comic cons, which are an amazing safe environment to meet fans. I think it's so important to meet and to enjoy the fans' company. They do a lot for us as much as we do for them. We give them entertainment and they give us love and support back.
What's your favourite fan theories?
I heard that Will was pregnant with Demogorgon. That was hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing at that.
Tell us about the difference between Season 2 and 3. Why should fans be so excited?
More colours, more life, more happiness. Season 1, it just hit off in Episode 1. Boom, Will goes missing. It's all depressing from there. Season 2, it gets to Episode 2 and I immediately want to break the rules and it goes down from there. But this season, it's still happy and mostly normal, which is cool and very different. I think we're giving the fans what they want. This season is going to be very different from the past seasons and any other show because there are new characters. There are new stores in town. There's a new mall. There's a new Eleven. There's new clothes and music and culture. It's a very different aspect of Stranger Things that we've never really touched on.
What message do you have for fans of the show?
To the fans of the Stranger Things, each and every one of us love you. We take in account your recommendations, your suggestions, your art, every single day. Actually, I remember we were doing one of the scenes, and I was like, "Hmm, I don't think one of the fans will like this", and we didn't do it. So, we appreciate you. We love you, and we think of you almost every second we're on set.
Describe season 3 of Stranger Things in three words.
It's. Spreading. Fast.
