Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 Cast: Meet the New and Familiar Characters in Hawkins - Netflix Tudum

  • Who’s Who

    Who’s in the Cast of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85? Let’s Meet the Crew

    Get intel on the new party members and reacquaint yourselves with familiar friends.

    March 26, 2026

Something strange has awakened in Hawkins, and it’s up to a familiar crew to get to the bottom of a terrifying new mystery. 

Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Mike (Luca Diaz), Will (Benjamin Plessala), Dustin (Braxton Quinney), Lucas (Elisha “EJ” Williams), and Max (In Your Dreams’s Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) will again hit the streets to save their town in Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, the upcoming animated series from Eric Robles (Glitch Techs, Fanboy & Chum Chum) and executive produced by the Duffer Brothers. It premieres April 23 on Netflix.

With the gate to the Upside Down closed, and its inhabitants cut off from our world, things in Hawkins were supposed to return to normal. But terrifying new monsters await, along with new friends and a new adventure in this series set in the Stranger Things universe. So, who is poised to join the fight? Read on for a rundown of the fresh characters entering the fray as well as the friends you know and love who are down for the cause. 


The crew


Animated character with curly hair and a serious expression extends hand forward in a dramatic gesture, set against a colorful sunset and urban winter background with other figures partially visible.

Brooklyn Davey Norstedt

as Eleven
About the Character

After an eventful year, Eleven is finally starting to feel normal — for someone with telekinetic abilities, of course. Hopper is her family, and she’s adjusted to his strict rules that are in place to protect her. Plus, she gets to hang out with her friends and experience regular things like snowball fights and arcade games. 

 

As the only person in her friend group with powers, Eleven has learned that these special abilities can keep those she cares about safe. So when a new threat appears, she’ll stop at nothing to shield her friends and her home against the terrifying monsters that lurk.  

Previously In

Norstedt previously portrayed Amber in the 2022 miniseries WeCrashed

Follow Brooklyn Davey Norstedt

Animated child with serious expression, wearing a colorful puffer jacket, stands with hand on hip in a forest setting with sunlight filtering through the trees.

Luca Diaz

as Mike
About the Character

Smart and strong-willed, Mike enjoys spending quality time with his friends, including his new girlfriend Eleven. 

 

When fresh monsters start surfacing, Mike is all for the group handling this problem themselves, lest word gets back to Hopper about a looming threat to Eleven’s safety and he enacts even stricter rules.

Previously In

Erin & Aaron, Migration, and Transformers: EarthSpark

Follow Luca Diaz

Smiling animated kid in orange vest and cap holding gadgets inside colorful, neon-lit room with posters and another person in the background, suggesting a lively, creative environment.

Braxton Quinney

as Dustin
About the Character

Dustin is a lovable smart alec and a true believer in all things paranormal. While his friends are keen on putting the Upside Down experiences behind them, he’s searching for the next mystery to solve.

 

As the most vocal member of the crew, Dustin feels a duty to investigate the reported sightings of abnormal activity all over town and protect residents from the evil denizens threatening their safety. After all, he and his friends did defeat a Demogorgon and outsmart the Mind Flayer.

Previously In

You Can’t Take My Daughter and Bigger 

Follow Braxton Quinney

Animated character wearing a beanie, striped shirt, and orange jacket rides a bicycle through a snowy forest on a winter day, looking to the side with a concerned expression.

Elisha “EJ” Williams

as Lucas
About the Character

Like the others, Lucas is eager to put the Upside Down horrors behind him and get back to a normal life of Dungeons & Dragons, school, and his new relationship with Max. But when evidence shows there might be a fresh monster threat in town, he’s quick to tackle the problem head-on. 

Previously In

Firebuds, The Wonder Years, The Loud House, and Henry Danger 

Follow Elisha “EJ” Williams

Animated boy with brown hair and a red jacket looks up under colorful festival lights, with tents and a festive nighttime environment in the background.

Benjamin Plessala

as Will
About the Character

Creative and shy, Will is just looking for a clean slate after everything he went through last year. So much so that he even wants to be Dungeon Master for the group’s next Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

 

Will finds comfort in his new buddy Nikki, who doesn’t treat him with kid gloves like his other friends. Nikki’s confidence in Will inspires Will to stop ignoring the growing supernatural threat in town and to be brave enough to fight.

Previously In

Wylde Pak, Scooby-Doo! And the Mystery Pups, American Auto, Minions: The Rise of Gru, and Big Little Lies

Watch them on Netflix
Castlevania: Nocturne
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The Sea Beast
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Follow Benjamin Plessala

Animated girl in a teal and yellow jacket rides a bicycle at dusk in a snowy, forested outdoor setting, looking concerned.

Jolie Hoang-Rappaport

as Max
About the Character

Tough, cool, and delightfully snarky, Max isn’t afraid to speak her mind. She was once the newbie in town but has since found her place among the crew and cares deeply for her newfound friends. When trouble arises, she’s ready to fight alongside them, smart mouth and all. 

Previously In

My Adventures with Superman, Head of the Class, and Watchmen

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In Your Dreams
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The Big Show Show
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All About the Washingtons
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Follow Jolie Hoang-Rappaport

 


Trusted Friends


Animated scene showing a police officer in a dark blue jacket leaning in to speak seriously with a young person wearing a backpack in a rustic, wooden setting with natural light and blurred trees in the background.

Brett Gipson

as Hopper
About the Character

Hopper is the town’s police chief who keeps a close eye on Eleven so that strangers don’t find out about her powers and stick their noses where they don’t belong.

Previously In

Station 19, S.W.A.T., Community, and Knights of Badassdom

Follow Brett Gipson

Animated teenager in a puffer jacket holds a spiked bat outside at night in a snowy suburban neighborhood, with trees and a house in the background.

Jeremy Jordan

as Steve
About the Character

Steve has great hair, a nice car, and a spiked bat to take care of business. He’s no stranger to the supernatural happenings in Hawkins and is quick to help the crew out — especially when his buddy Dustin is the one who’s calling. 

Previously In

Hazbin Hotel, Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, The Last Five Years, Smash, and Joyful Noise

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Supergirl
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The Flash
Watch
Follow Jeremy Jordan

 


New in town


Two animated characters with worried expressions sit in a vehicle. The person in front wears headphones and a green jacket with a shearling collar; the passenger behind also looks concerned. The scene is set inside a car with tinted windows.

Odessa A’zion

as Nikki 
About the Character

Nikki is a kind and loyal transfer student with zero tolerance for bullies. Used to being on her own, she isn’t looking for friends when she first encounters the crew. But she finds real camaraderie with her new pals, especially Will, to whom she relates as someone who also feels like an outsider.

Previously In

I Love LA, Marty Supreme, Ghosts, Fam, and Nashville

Watch them on Netflix
Grand Army
Watch
Love
Watch
Follow Odessa A’zion

Animated woman with goggles on her head, wearing glasses and a vest, holding a test tube with green liquid in a science classroom laboratory setting.

Janeane Garofalo

as Anna Baxter
About the Character

Anna is Nikki’s mom and Hawkins Middle School’s newest biology teacher. She’s filling in for Mr. Clarke, who’s taking a sabbatical for the semester. Anna is smart, eccentric, and passionate about science — treating all aspects of life as one big experiment. 

 

Frequently on the move, she views each new job and town as a chance for a fresh start. But she must reckon with this outlook when her daughter gains real friends and starts feeling at home in Hawkins.

Previously In

Harley Quinn, Younger, Ratatouille, The Truth About Cats and Dogs, and Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion

Watch them on Netflix
BoJack Horseman
Watch
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later
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Follow Janeane Garofalo

Two animated characters sitting together outside at dusk, one is a child in a cap and vest holding an object, the other is an adult with glasses; both appear relaxed and engaged in conversation with a soft blue light around them.

Lou Diamond Phillips

as Daniel Fischer
About the Character

Daniel is the friendly clerk at Hawkins Food Mart who often lets Dustin run up a tab on snacks and soda. 

Previously In

Firebuds, Prodigal Son, Elena of Avalor, Longmire, and Stand and Deliver


Robles executive produces Tales From ’85 via Flying Bark Productions, along with the Duffer Brothers and Hilary Leavitt via Upside Down Pictures, Shawn Levy via 21 Laps, and Dan Cohen.

Stream Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 when it premieres April 23 on Netflix. You can be among the first to watch the series before it debuts by attending a special early screening. Plus, get all the key intel on the series here, and read up on what else to expect in this interview with Robles.

All About Stranger Things: Tales From '85

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  • Explainer
    A killer new threat has sprung.
    By Keisha Hatchett
    April 23
  • News
    Here’s everything to know about the series set in the Stranger Things universe.
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  • First Look
    Winter has settled in, along with a terrifying new threat. 
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    By Keisha Hatchett
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  • Meet the Cast
    Meet the colorful new character who’s just arrived in Hawkins. 
    By Keisha Hatchett
    Feb. 24

Shop Stranger Things: Tales From '85

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