As Stranger Things approaches its final chapter, Netflix chose an unexpectedly intimate way to say goodbye: letting the original core cast read fan letters out loud. No spectacle, no spoilers, no mythology — just words written by people who grew up alongside the show.
Across four separate videos, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, and Caleb McLaughlin sit down with letters that reflect nearly a decade of shared history. What emerges is not promotional content, but something closer to a time capsule — a record of how a series quietly shaped lives on both sides of the screen.
Finn Wolfhard — Growing Up Under a Microscope
Finn Wolfhard’s segment feels reflective from the start. His reactions suggest a keen awareness of how early success alters a person’s sense of normalcy. The fan letters he reads don’t focus on plot twists or favorite scenes — they focus on time. On watching him grow up. On feeling like they grew up too.
Wolfhard responds with a mix of gratitude and distance, as if he understands both the gift and the cost of that visibility. His tone is calm, thoughtful, and grounded. Fame never enters the conversation as triumph — it’s treated as circumstance.
What stands out most is how seriously he takes the responsibility of being watched. Not idolized, but witnessed. It’s a reminder that Stranger Things didn’t just launch careers — it created a generation of young performers learning adulthood in public.
Noah Schnapp — Vulnerability Without Performance
Noah Schnapp’s video is the most openly emotional of the four. The letters he reads often touch on identity, loneliness, and feeling seen — themes that mirror his character’s journey, but clearly extend far beyond fiction.
Schnapp doesn’t rush to reassure or reframe. He listens. He pauses. He lets the weight of the words settle. There’s no sense of PR polish here — just genuine acknowledgment that the show mattered in ways none of them could have anticipated when they were children.
What makes this segment powerful is restraint. Schnapp doesn’t position himself as a savior figure. Instead, he recognizes the mutuality of the exchange: the audience gave meaning to the work just as much as the work gave meaning to the audience.
It’s a rare moment where celebrity dissolves into shared experience.
Gaten Matarazzo — Gratitude as a Constant
Gaten Matarazzo brings warmth and humor to his segment, but beneath the smiles is a deep sense of appreciation. The letters he reads frequently mention joy — laughter during hard times, comfort during uncertainty, the relief of having something familiar to return to.
Matarazzo’s reactions feel instinctively generous. He laughs easily, but he also listens closely. There’s an understanding that joy isn’t superficial — it’s essential. Especially when it comes from a place of connection.
His segment highlights an often-overlooked truth about Stranger Things: not all impact is dramatic. Sometimes it’s about routine. About consistency. About being there.
That kind of presence leaves a different kind of mark — quieter, but no less lasting.
Caleb McLaughlin — Representation and Responsibility
Caleb McLaughlin’s segment carries a distinct weight. Many of the letters he reads speak directly about representation — about seeing oneself reflected on screen for the first time, and what that visibility meant.
McLaughlin responds with clarity and composure. He acknowledges the responsibility without inflating it. There’s no grand speech, just recognition that being visible can matter profoundly, even when it isn’t intentional.
What makes his contribution resonate is its honesty. He doesn’t claim to have all the answers. Instead, he honors the fact that stories can travel further than their creators ever expect.
In this way, his segment feels like a bridge — between entertainment and impact, between performance and presence.
Why These Letters Matter More Than a Trailer
Taken together, these four videos form something unusual in modern streaming culture: a pause.
There’s no tease of the final battle. No hint of who survives. No escalation. Instead, Netflix allows space for reflection — acknowledging that Stranger Things was never just content. It was companionship.
The series arrived at a time when audiences were hungry for connection, and it leaves at a time when reflection feels necessary. These letters don’t close the story — they contextualize it.
They remind us that the real legacy of Stranger Things isn’t the Upside Down, but the shared experience of growing up alongside it.
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YouTube channel: Netflix
