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Stranger Things 5: Natalia Dyer on Nancy's Independence, Future & More

Stranger Things 5's Natalia Dyer reflects on Nancy's journey and growth, collaborating with the Duffers on her series finale ending, and more.

When it comes to the massive ensemble of the Netflix series Stranger Things, Natalia Dyer's Nancy Wheeler was one of those wildcards in terms of being unpredictable as far as character trajectory. From initially being a bystander of the supernatural events and going from dating Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) to Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton), the oldest Wheeler child has had so many things happen, from trying to become a journalist to embracing her role as resident badass with her firearms proficiency to the point where people are already drawing John Rambo and Ellen Ripley comparisons since they share a similar hairstyle and bandolier as she's actively in commando mode as a one-woman army in the group's fight against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). Season five really upped those stakes since it's her little sister, Holly (Nell Fisher), who's among the Hawkins youth tapped to help Vecna's plans as the group tries to take him down once and for all while trying to rescue her and her peers from the Abyss in the process. Dyer spoke to Deadline about Nancy's growth, her pivotal role in the Vecna fight during Stranger Things 5, breaking up with Jonathan, their miraculous escape, and influencing her ending.

Stranger Things 5 Star Natalia Dyer on Influencing Nancy's Path & Future

When it comes to how far along Nancy's gone since season one, "It's been so fun. Nancy's journey has been just, I couldn't have possibly predicted it. I mean, the finale really kind of felt a bit like an action movie at times, just so wildly different from things that we were doing in Season 1," Dyer said. "Getting to live with these characters and grow with these characters and have them in these bigger and bigger scenarios has been so fun, such a training ground, such a fun place to grow up and grow as an actor. We all really care about these characters and love them, so it's been a really fun time."

As far as season five's biggest moments, split between Netflix's three separate releases, "Kind of surreal, I think, finding out what the end is for all of these characters. I mean, obviously, there's a lot with the Abyss and the bridge and understanding a lot of the sciences, but then just the characters and where they're going. The last table read was just very emotional and very satisfying, I think, for us as actors," Dyer said. "We love all these characters, and the Duffers love these characters. I think everybody was very happy and sad. Mike's (Finn Wolfhard) whole speech at the end absolutely destroyed the whole room. Just what it meant to the characters, but also what it meant to the actors working on it for so long. You're trying to sit with it, and you've got to go work on it, and you've got to go do it, but I think always keeping in your mind that you're like, 'Wow. Okay, this is it,' and every little moment it's like, 'Wow, this is the last one.'"

When it came to guiding Nancy's fate, which included breaking up with Jonathan in the middle of narrowly escaping the flooding conference room with their lives, giving up college, and focusing on her career, "We really love that [breakup] scene, and we love having that scene and getting to do that scene, because a lot of the Nancy-Jonathan dynamic, you don't get to see on screen, because there's so much action and other things, and that's true of a lot of characters, a lot of the relationships. You can only fit so much into a show," Dyer said. "So having that scene is so nice, because you get to see the weight all of this has had on them, and how much love there really is still there. They think they might be dying in that moment. So, the truth of it becomes really important. Once I read that, I felt like [it was] maybe the only way and the best way, and a really satisfying way, for this love relationship to come to a close. That was really beautiful."

As far as working with Matt and Ross Duffer, who gave her a say in Nancy's future, "The end, I would say Nancy not being in school is something I was very adamant about. The Duffers, they'd go around a little bit and be like, 'Well, what do you think?' They're very collaborative. They would ask, like, 'Where do you see your character? What do you think?' Just kind of checking in with the actors, which I thought was really nice," Dyer explained. "My main thing is like, I just do not think Nancy could go back to school. I just cannot see her in school. And that was something that I said, 'Pretty please. I just cannot.' I remember reading the epilogue like, 'Yeah, that's perfect.' For me. For Nancy. I felt really satisfied. I think after everything she's been through, I just couldn't [see her] writing papers and turning it in. You know? It's hard, in a way, you feel so much love and care for these characters, and you want so many things for them, but you also wanted to stay kind of grounded. I think for everybody, it felt really good."

For more, including her feelings on the Stranger Things 5 finale's release and watching it with the cast and Duffers, filming the flooding scene, final day of filming, series legacy, Nancy's motivation throughout the series, and future, you can check out the interview.

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