News | Entertainment
23 Jan 2026 22:31
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
    All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams denies player power was behind the early exit of coach Scott Robertson More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    An expectation the official cash rate will be held steady as inflation is higher than expected More...



     Today's News

    Accident and Emergency:
    A person's been found dead at a Clutha address this evening - along with another person in a critical condition 21:57

    Christchurch:
    A pedestrian's seriously injured after being struck by a car on Christchurch's Riccarton Avenue about 10 to seven this evening 21:17

    International:
    Paris Hilton brings sex tape story to Washington for AI deepfake porn fight 21:07

    Environment:
    The Mount Maunganui tragedy reminds us landslides are NZ’s deadliest natural hazard 20:07

    Business:
    An expectation the official cash rate will be held steady as inflation is higher than expected 18:57

    Politics:
    Gloriavale's condemned private school is remaining open for the time being 18:37

    Environment:
    What is a landslide, how do they happen and where are they most common? 18:17

    Rugby:
    All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams denies player power was behind the early exit of coach Scott Robertson 18:07

    Soccer:
    To football, and South Island United have claimed their first win in the Oceania Pro League 18:07

    Law and Order:
    Police want to hear from anyone who may have seen a 62-year-old man reported missing from the Invercargill area - last seen two weeks ago 17:27


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd