Winona Ryder Was The Fact Checker On Stranger Things

Winona Ryder broke out in Hollywood as the star of the 1987 film Square Dance. The talented actress was one of the most iconic faces in the 80s. Ryder has been known to fact-check details while filming the immensely popular science-fiction horror series, Stranger Things.

When you’re making a show set in the 1980s and jam-packed with all things 1980s pop culture, it helps to have a 1980s icon on set. Such is the case for “Stranger Things” and Winona Ryder, who not only stars in the series as Joyce Byers but also makes sure creators Matt and Ross Duffer maintain 1980s accuracy on set.

The Duffer Brothers have done an excellent job immersing viewers in that era. It goes without saying, a lot of hard work and attention to detail goes into getting the show’s 1980s setting just right. The Duffers get some help from one of their stars, who experienced the decade first-hand. Ryder’s co-star, David Harbour told Harper’s Bazaar that the Duffer Brothers have often had to change scripts after Ryder fact-checked them.

“She’d tell them, ‘This song actually came out in ’85, and you have it in ’83,’ She knew all of these minute, tiny details they didn’t even know, and they had to change things in the script based on that…It’s just kind of epic how wild her mind is and how it goes to all these different corners.”

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Additionally, Ryder also serves as a mentor on set to the show’s ensemble of teen actors. She shared with the outlet, “I want the kids to understand, this does not happen,” before adding, “The work is the reward! Because when I was that age, it was so hard to enjoy the fruits of my labor.” According to Ross Duffer, Ryder’s mentorship has been essential for the show’s breakout teen Millie Bobby Brown.

“[Winona has] talked to the kids about what celebrity is like and how the press can be and the anxiety and confusion that comes along with celebrity, I think she’s really helped them. I know she’s specifically helped Millie [Bobby Brown] a lot to work through that.” 

Meanwhile, the first seven episodes of “Stranger Things” Season 4 are now streaming on Netflix. The final two installments of the series launch July 1.  Fans around the world will be enthralled by the action as they get set to celebrate Independence Day weekend. Stay tuned to Thirsty for further updates.

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