News | Entertainment
26 Jan 2026 4:37
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Natalia Dyer thought she'd "bombed" her 'Stranger Things' auditions

    The 27-year-old actress portrays Nancy Wheeler in the Netflix drama series but landing the role took her by surprise because she was convinced she'd messed up her try-out


    She said: "I auditioned twice for the role. I thought I bombed the initial audition, but then I got the callback, and I thought I bombed that as well."

    Natalia admitted she and her co-stars had no idea how big the show would be or that it would still be going today.

    She said: "At the time, Netflix wasn't what it is today. They had some really cool shows such as 'Orange Is The New Black' and 'House Of Cards', but I really wasn't aware there was a possibility of a second season. The energy was like, 'I hope people like it. We like it. We think this is cool.' " And the huge "overnight" success of the show brought the cast, including the likes of Millie Bobby Brown and Joe Keery, together.

    She said: "It's a bond that is hard to describe. We were all very excited and we hadn't done anything like it before. So to have it become so big, literally overnight, was a very specific experience. It really tied us all together."

    And Natalie feels very "protective" of her younger co-stars because she knows she couldn't have coped with the scrutiny the likes of Finn Wolfhard have at such a young age.

    She told Cosmopolitan: "Every time I see Finn, it's like, 'You're so tall! Are you taller?' There's an inherent sense of protectiveness there.

    " I'm always impressed by them; by how they carry themselves and how aware they are of the pressures. But it's nerve-racking and I don't envy them at all. I would've been a complete mess if I'd gone through that at their ages. It really is a lot."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     23 Jan: Oscars 2026: Sinners break record with nominations, Jacob Elordi and Rose Byrne receive nods
     23 Jan: Amanda Seyfried thinks winning an Oscar "isn't necessary" for career success
     23 Jan: Karol G and Feid have reportedly split
     23 Jan: Summer House stars Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula have split
     23 Jan: Emeli Sande and her fiancee Yoana Karemova have split
     23 Jan: Colleen Hoover is cancer-free
     23 Jan: Nicole Kidman reportedly feels "refreshed and optimistic" as her divorce from Keith Urban is behind her
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Japan international rugby coach Eddie Jones believes league is making big inroads into rugby's traditional domain More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    US copied Iran's Shahed drones — now they are deployed in the Middle East More...



     Today's News

    Living & Travel:
    More than 150 people have gathered at Mount Maunganui's Blake Park, braving a cool wind for a vigil for those lost in the landslide 21:57

    Law and Order:
    A 29 year old man has been charged with kidnapping after an incident in Blenheim yesterday morning 21:17

    International:
    A second person has been shot dead by federal agents in Minneapolis. Here's what we know 19:37

    Accident and Emergency:
    Further delays in the recovery of those missing in the Mount Maunganui campground landslide 19:27

    Motoring:
    Snell street in Waikato's Morrinsville, is closed following an earlier crash 18:57

    Skiing:
    Scotty James wins fifth-straight X-Games superpipe gold ahead of Milano Cortina Games 18:47

    Rugby:
    Japan international rugby coach Eddie Jones believes league is making big inroads into rugby's traditional domain 18:37

    Soccer:
    The Wellington Phoenix women have rocketed from 9th to second on the congested A-League ladder...after beating Adelaide United 3-1 at home in Porirua 18:07

    Basketball:
    Kiwi Finn Fisher-Black has ended cycling's Tour Down Under with a bang, crossing second in a sprint on the final stage to take 25th overall 18:07

    Cricket:
    Rain is disrupting the men's Super Smash T20 encounter in Christchurch...with the ladder-leading Northern Brave 51 for one in the 15th over against hosts Canterbury, scoring at just over eight and a half runs per over 17:57


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd