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4 Feb 2026 6:45
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  •   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

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     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Rachel McAdams was initially told she was "too old" to star in Mean Girls 6:31

    Entertainment:
    Eugene Levy has paid a heartfelt tribute to his longtime collaborator, Catherine O'Hara 6:01

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    New Zealand cricket coach Rob Walter has valued the chance to experiment with game plans in local conditions against India ahead of the T20 World Cup 5:47

    Law and Order:
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    Soccer:
    Another win in football's OFC Pro League for Auckland FC 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan have become good mom friends decades after feuding 21:31

    Entertainment:
    Charli xcx is "open" to recording a James Bond theme - but doubts it will happen because of her use of AutoTune 21:01

    Entertainment:
    Hayley Williams has formed a new band called Power Snatch 20:31

    Entertainment:
    Catherine O'Hara's family is planning a "private celebration of life" 20:01

    Entertainment:
    Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's daughter Simone is retiring from the ring 19:31


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