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The youngest members of the Stranger Things cast have grown up on our screens, with the show’s five seasons following them from childhood and early teenhood to young adulthood. The actors have gone on to thriving careers and even started families in the time the sci-fi show has been on Netflix, despite the fact that the on-screen characters are still largely meant to be teenagers. Stranger Things cast now and then That’s made even more profound by the long breaks that Netflix takes between each season. Scroll through the gallery below for a quick look at each of the Stranger Things cast, now and then, or read on for a closer look at how the lives of the kids have changed over the years. Millie Bobby Brown was cast as the show’s leading, super-powered girl at the age of 12 all the way back in 2016. Now, the 21-year-old is married to Jake Bongiovi, the son of rockstar Jon Bon Jovi, and the couple has adopted a baby girl together. Brown married at the age of 20 in a move that surprised some, but has spoken openly about how the decision felt natural, considering both of the couple’s sets of parents also married young. In her career, Brown has starred in a number of titles, including three Enola Holmes movies, Netflix's Damsel, and two Godzilla films. Finn Wolfhard was 13 years old when he appeared in the first season of Stranger Things, and has shot up since then into the tall 22-year-old starring in season 5. Wolfhard has starred in the sci-fi/horror space, having also worked on Ghostbusters, It, and It: Chapter Two. He also has a music career with the band Calpurnia. Fan-favourite Dustin is played by Gaten Matarazzo. Also cast at the age of 13, Matarazzo is now 22 years old. Matarazzo got his start on Broadway, appearing in productions like Les Misérables and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. He’s also turned his hand to voice acting in The Angry Birds Movie 2 and LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy. Caleb McLaughlin has portrayed Lucas Sinclair since season one when he was 14, the oldest of the younger cohort of the season 1 cast. Now 24 years old, McLaughlin also started his career on Broadway, playing the role of Young Simba in The Lion King. While Stranger Things is his biggest credit that most people know him from, he’s also taken roles in a number of films, including a 2026 billing of Goat, an animated sports comedy. Noah Schanpp’s Will is expected to play a crucial role in season 5 of the show. Once a baby-faced 11-year-old in season 1, Schnapp is now 21 years old and has also starred in movies like Abe, Hubie Halloween, and Waiting For Anya. Sadie Sink made her Stranger Things debut in season 2, aged 15 years old, putting her a few years older than the other kids. Now 23 years old, Sink has appeared in other major films like The Whale, with a planned role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day in 2026. She also played the lead female role in Taylor Swift’s 10-minute All Too Well music video.
