Charlie Heaton had to "grow up very fast" as a "young father"

He told Wonderland magazine: "Being a young father, you have to grow up very fast.

"You have to also learn ethical priorities, too, and you've got to look after somebody. That's a big thing. You want to give them good experiences and a lot of love and the hard part obviously is distance. But that's part of the sacrifice."

Charlie is now in a relationship with his Stranger Things co-star Natalia Dyer - who plays his character Jonathan Byers' girlfriend Nancy Wheeler - and he hailed working together a "gift".

He said: "It's been a gift to work with my best friend.

To be able to have a shared experience with your partner about the anxiety when you don't get a job - I know what that feels like, she knows what that feels like.

"You can be there to talk about it, or when you have a s*** day at work, or come away from a scene and you didn't think it worked. To be able to both understand each other on that level is great."

During times of uncertainty, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hollywood strikes, Charlie and Natalia sought out two-hand plays that they could perform together to pass the time.

Charlie laughed: "I know it sounds super nerdy.

"I'm making myself sound way more cultured than I am."

While Stranger Things is about to come to an end with its fifth season, Charlie won't be upset if any of his future work is overshadowed by his time as Jonathan.

He said: "I never thought I'd be playing Jonathan for 10 years...but there are no regrets. If I'm known just for Jonathan, which I probably will be for the rest of my life, that's fine. That's a really nice person to be remembered as."

And his farewells on screen echoed his genuine emotion at saying goodbye to his castmates.

He said: "There are some scenes in this finale, especially towards the end, where it might be the most honest work I've ever had the opportunity to do. I was just looking at [each cast member] being like, I love you. You are here in this one moment. I don't think I'll ever have that experience again."