News | Entertainment
28 Feb 2026 22:10
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
    The Chiefs are refusing to underestimate a wounded Crusaders side ahead of tonight's Super Rugby grand final rematch in Hamilton More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    It's been revealed UK supermarket giant Tesco, declined the Finance Minister's invitation for a meeting to discuss the issues in our grocery sector More...



     Today's News

    Rugby:
    The Chiefs are refusing to underestimate a wounded Crusaders side ahead of tonight's Super Rugby grand final rematch in Hamilton 21:57

    International:
    Israel and US attacking Iran live updates: blasts heard in Tehran 21:27

    Auckland:
    Four people have been injured - one seriously - when a van rolled in the Auckland suburb of Wiri 21:17

    Law and Order:
    The Armed Offenders Squad has been working in Auckland's Papakura today, after a man was shot this morning 18:57

    Rugby:
    The Blues are pointing to territory and preventing set piece penalties as keys to victory against the Brumbies tonight in Canberra 18:37

    International:
    Crown prince Reza Pahlavi on US military intervention in Iran and how a post Islamic Republic 'transition' would work 18:17

    Politics:
    Bill Clinton tells congressional committee he had 'no idea' about Jeffrey Epstein's crimes 18:07

    Soccer:
    Auckland FC attacking weapon Jesse Randall is stoked with how the club is tracking heading towards the final stretch of the A-League's regular season 18:07

    Boxing:
    Kiwi Carlos Ulberg will fight for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 327 in Miami on April 12 17:27

    Rugby:
    Crusaders utility back Leicester Fainga'anuku's comfortable being deployed in a third different role in as many weeks on his Super Rugby Pacific return 16:57


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd