News | Entertainment
3 Mar 2026 1:18
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
     28 Feb: Justin Trudeau's son approves of his romance with Katy Perry
     28 Feb: Lupita Nyong'o has "over 50" uterine fibroids
     28 Feb: Hilary Duff has admitted she "intentionally" gatecrashed the premiere of her "childhood nemesis" Lindsay Lohan's movie Freaky Friday
     28 Feb: Christian Bale appears to have confirmed he will join the cast of Heat 2
     28 Feb: Barbra Streisand has paid tribute to Jennifer Aniston following the actress' recent birthday and her growing relationship with Jim Curtis
     27 Feb: Drew Barrymore travels down "memory lane" when looking at pictures of herself from her 1990s heyday
     27 Feb: Cruz Beckham's 21st birthday celebrations have gone on for a week
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    A new job for Kiwi rugby coach Wayne Pivac More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    The conflict in the Middle East has seen oil prices jump - and could mean higher costs at the pump More...



     Today's News

    Business:
    The conflict in the Middle East has seen oil prices jump - and could mean higher costs at the pump 21:57

    Law and Order:
    Police are investigating an unexplained death in Whangarei, after a body was found this morning 21:17

    International:
    Weekend of war: Key moments from the first 48 hours of strikes in the Middle East 21:07

    Accident and Emergency:
    A man's been taken into custody after armed police attended a family harm callout in Waikato's Parawera, southeast of Te Awamutu 19:07

    Cricket:
    Black Caps coach Rob Walter is grateful their subcontinent travels at the T20 World Cup are not done yet 18:57

    Rugby:
    A new job for Kiwi rugby coach Wayne Pivac 18:37

    Living & Travel:
    Last total lunar eclipse until 2029 is coming tomorrow – don’t miss it 18:17

    International:
    Iran's next supreme leader may have been waiting for this moment to rise 18:17

    Rugby League:
    Warriors halfback Luke Metcalf has declared his comeback to the NRL on track but is refusing to narrow down a date 18:07

    National:
    Strait of Hormuz: if the Iran conflict shuts world’s most important oil chokepoint, global economic chaos could follow 18:07


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd