Entertainment

‘Stranger Things’ Auditions and How the Cast Landed Their Roles | Vanity Fair

Published

4 years ago

August 10, 2022

Stranger Things casting director Carmen Cuba takes us through her casting process while sharing her foresights for each characters’ future on the show. From the first audition tapes submitted by Noah Schnapp, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo to finding the perfect Vecna, Carmen breaks down the intricacies of meeting the Duffers vision through the stellar casting she has assembled since the show’s very beginning.

00:00 Intro
01:41 The Auditions
07:43 The Evolution
09:02 Season 4
10:11 Vecna

Director: Ashley Hall
Director of Photography: Matt Krueger
Editor: Jordan Calig
Talent: Carmen Cuba
Producer: Funmi Sunmonu
Line Producer: Jen Santos
Associate Producers: Clarissa Davis, Emebeit Beyene
Production Manager: Andressa Pelachi
Production Coordinators: Peter Brunette, Carol Wachockier
Casting Producer: Mica Medoff
Camera Operator: Malcolm Cook
Audio: Kari Barber
Production Assistant: Ariel Labasan

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32 Comments

Trina Q

August 10, 2022 at 4:09 pm

I can’t believe how much the young cast have grown up since the start of the show, it’s surreal!

Reply
Fiona Russ

August 10, 2022 at 4:20 pm

Love this

Reply
Chelsea Canales

August 10, 2022 at 4:20 pm

Wow…they all grown up. Time goes by too quickly.

Reply
liv.xoxo.14

August 10, 2022 at 4:21 pm

loved the video!

Reply
MADDULA SRI RAM

August 10, 2022 at 4:38 pm

Perfect Casting and characterization of stranger things have taken the show to a whole another level

Reply
mr qamar nwl

August 10, 2022 at 4:38 pm

Good

Reply
ghos7fire

August 10, 2022 at 4:41 pm

Gotta be really interesting and hard to be a casting director.

Reply
howltae

August 10, 2022 at 4:43 pm

Lucas’s role was made for Caleb also Gaten as Dustin, I can’t say otherwise

Reply
Grant T

August 10, 2022 at 4:44 pm

What a disgusting human being. Forcing children to cry on film for a company like Netflix

Reply
- Izzy Higgs
  
  August 10, 2022 at 5:50 pm
  
  It’s called acting
  
  Reply
- Susan Jenssen
  
  August 10, 2022 at 6:04 pm
  
  I highly suggest you go hug a kitten. We have come very far since they would tell little Ronnie Howard his dog died and such.
  
  Reply
- •?Stranger Tea¿•
  
  August 10, 2022 at 7:52 pm
  
  ITS JUST ACTING????????????
  
  Reply
wiff sniff

August 10, 2022 at 4:45 pm

Im really surprised and glad they got along, becoz i can imagine tweens getting into arguments and fighting, the cast members were really mature in this sense.

Reply
Tony Mazzoni

August 10, 2022 at 4:53 pm

Wow, would love for someone to approach me with an offer to act especially someone so established

Reply
liv faye

August 10, 2022 at 4:53 pm

Oh i was hoping she would talk about casting Sadie and Dacre

Reply
Isaac Diallo

August 10, 2022 at 4:59 pm

Millie’s rent was due that day????

Reply
aimee reyes

August 10, 2022 at 5:03 pm

you deserve a raise, everyone is fit and perfect for their role. they were meant to be there characters!!

Reply
Lena Rayne

August 10, 2022 at 5:05 pm

She really didn’t talk about Eddie individually?

Reply
- frida c
  
  August 10, 2022 at 6:06 pm
  
  he’s not a main cast member, just a s4 side character who got a lot of online love
  
  Reply
- Lena Rayne
  
  August 10, 2022 at 6:06 pm
  
  @Izzy Higgs she clearly talked about how she cast vecna lol not being sassy here just sayin’
  
  Reply
- Lena Rayne
  
  August 10, 2022 at 6:07 pm
  
  @frida c cause he’s the best lol
  
  Reply
- jade
  
  August 10, 2022 at 6:53 pm
  
  @Lena Rayne he’s really not
  
  Reply
- Lena Rayne
  
  August 10, 2022 at 6:57 pm
  
  @jade i respect your opinion but a lot of people disagree lol
  
  Reply
raecakes079

August 10, 2022 at 5:09 pm

Respectfully BEGGING for more about sadie, maya, joe keery, and joe quinn’s auditions ????????

Reply
オートミールIlikeoatmealmorethanyou

August 10, 2022 at 5:26 pm

I’m sad they didn’t show Max :’) She’s my fave ????

Reply
Fine Lemon

August 10, 2022 at 5:49 pm

Okay, where is Sadie’s audition tho!!!

Reply
Aubrey Rispoli

August 10, 2022 at 5:53 pm

they have to talk about the others too! i mean dacre’a is sooooo insane!!

Reply
natalie petitt

August 10, 2022 at 5:54 pm

i need Joseph Quinn’s audition tape NOW

Reply
Zoes uniquestyle

August 10, 2022 at 5:56 pm

Reminder: JESUS loves you and wants you to know you ARE WORTH LIVING (so do i)!✝️????????????

Reply
Annabel Thomas

August 10, 2022 at 6:45 pm

the amount of talent millie had as an eleven year old is actually INSANE. some people are just born to act

Reply
Ahmed Balafrej

August 10, 2022 at 6:45 pm

why she got an alien voice

Reply
Chopped Cheese

August 10, 2022 at 6:51 pm

Finns parents “ok now say you’re sick and we are going to mess up the bed”

Reply

Entertainment

Lisa Kudrow Rewatches Friends, Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion & More | Vanity Fair

Published

4 hours ago

March 25, 2026

LAVISHLY DEMURE

Lisa Kudrow takes a walk down memory lane as she rewatches scenes from her classic works including ‘Friends,’ ‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion,’ ‘Clockwatchers,’ ‘Easy A’ and more.

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Entertainment

Inside WNBA Star A’ja Wilson’s Louis Vuitton Bag | In the Bag | Vogue

Published

1 day ago

March 24, 2026

LAVISHLY DEMURE

Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson shows us what’s inside her Labubu-laden Louis Vuitton bag. The WNBA MVP always carries two pairs of glasses, depending on what the occasion calls for, and pulls out her favorite snack, a bag of Sour Patch Kids. The most meaningful item in A’ja’s bag is her late grandmother’s coin purse, which she now uses to carry her ID cards. “I don’t put coins in it because my heart’s in it.”

_Shop A’ja Wilson’s bag, below._

Louis Vuitton OnTheGo GM tote: https://cna.st/st/Kaw1ibB
Louis Vuitton Zippy wallet: https://cna.st/st/52aT4EY
Goyard Grenelle passport cover: https://cna.st/st/ahrkvwh
Google Pixel 10 smartphone: https://cna.st/st/TvcFAoT
Mighty Patch Micropoint Hydrocolloid pimple patches: https://cna.st/st/uaCI2Xr
Dior Lip Addict gloss: https://cna.st/st/kVf9sjm
Cécred Restoring Hair & Edge Drops: https://cna.st/st/IkTEJhg
Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Volumizing eyebrow gel: https://cna.st/st/GLVRjWU
Yves Saint Laurent Candy Glaze lip gloss stick: https://cna.st/st/4inEurN
Extrei Gent makeup bag with led mirror: https://cna.st/st/E3oLTMr
Renpho eye massager: https://cna.st/st/FpV4MXi
Sour Patch Kids: https://cna.st/st/zweNvYW
Mattel Uno game: https://cna.st/st/kFudegg
Tide To Go stain remover wipes: https://cna.st/st/s2BsInb

_When you buy something through our retail links, we earn an affiliate commission._

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Special Thanks: Kassie Thweatt, Miami Sites

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