5 actors whose careers were saved by Stranger Things

Stranger Things launched the careers of several stars, but it also helped to save the careers of several amazing actors.

Hollywood can be a rough and unpredictable industry. Sometimes, an actor can go years without landing a breakout, career-defining role but then that one role comes along that serves as a lifeline that not only saves their career but can be the turning point they’ve been waiting years for.

A successful show can be a game-changer for actors. They have the power to launch and revitalize the careers of actors, giving them the break they so desperately need. Take for example Stanger Things. 

Netflix’s horror series became an overnight success and has become the launching pad for some of the biggest names in Hollywood. It’s also played a unique role in helping to save the careers of several of its stars, giving them the second chance they needed to relaunch their career or even the push to keep going.

The show has been life-changing for its entire cast, but we have the show to thank for saving the careers of these particular stars!

1. Winona Ryder

During the late 80s and early 90s, Winona Ryder was one of the biggest names in the industry thanks to both her iconic roles and her tabloid romances. However, by the 2000s she had become all but forgotten with few key roles. Then came Stranger Things which relaunched Ryder’s career by putting her back in the spotlight and introducing her to a new audience that quickly fell in love with her.

2. Matthew Modine

Modine has appeared in over 100 titles since beginning his acting career in the late 80s, but there is no denying it’s his role as Dr. Brenner in Stranger Things that has become his standout performance. Modine delivered a chilling and scene-stealing performance as Benner that took his career to the next level and gifted him with a career-defining role that Modine will forever be remembered for.

3. Finn Wolfhard

How could a show save an actor’s career before it truly even started, you ask? Well, Stranger Things didn’t just launch Finn Wolfhard’s career and make him a household name, it also saved Wolfhard’s career before it nearly ended. As Wolfhard revealed in an interview with The Guardian, before getting the call from the Duffer brothers to join the Stranger Things cast, Wolfhard was prepared to quit acting due to frustration over being able to find roles for someone his age.

4. David Harbour

Harbour began his career in the late 90s with a role in Daytime’s As the World Turns and, eventually made the leap to primetime and film. However, it wasn’t until his casting as Sheriff Jim Hopper in Stranger Things that Harbour’s career took off. Since the first season of the show, Harbour has been booked and busy appearing in a number of high-profile movies including roles in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Black Widow, Thunderbolts) and the DCU (Suicide Squad, Creatures Commandos).

5. Millie Bobby Brown

Given Millie Bobby Brown was only 12 when she was cast in Stranger Things, you might find it crazy to include her on a list of actors whose careers were saved by the show. However, what fans might be surprised to know is that just months before she was cast as Eleven, a rejection from a Game of Thrones role nearly led her to quit acting. Fortunately, she landed the role of Eleven and chose not to walk away from the industry with the show literally saving her acting career while also helping to launch it in the process!