Stranger Things cast post emotional messages as final season wraps

The fifth and final season of the Netflix sci-fi hit Stranger Things officially wrapped recently - and to commemorate the moment the cast has posted farewell messages to the show on social media.

Although filming has now ended, the release date for the upcoming season has not yet been confirmed by the streaming giant - but anticipation is rising all the time.

The series follows a group of young friends who live in 1980s Indiana and uncover a series of mysteries in the form of supernatural forces and government secrets.

It's fair to say there is big hype around how the show will finish, as season four - released back in 2022 - is the second-most-streamed Netflix show of all time.

The show began filming in late 2015 and aired in July 2016, and so within the past decade, audiences have seen the young cast consisting of Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Caleb McLaughlin, and Gaten Matarazzo grow up on our screens.

So of course saying farewell to the show will be an emotional one for both the cast and viewers, and following the show wrapping, here are all the cast's posts reflecting on their time filming Stranger Things.

Millie Bobby Brown

Millie Bobby Brown who plays Eleven, a teenage girl with psychokinetic and telepathic abilities took to Instagram to share a slideshow of photos documenting her time on the show - from when she had a shaved head in season one, to fun behind-the-scenes snaps from set.

She ended the slideshow with a video of herself giving an emotional speech on set.

"And isn't graduation supposed to bring relief? Like you're glad to leave behind the teachers and classmates - not me, I'm nowhere near to leave you guys," she said while crying.

"I love each and every one of you and I'll forever carry the memories and bonds we've created together as a family. I love you, thank you," as the crew applauded her.

Finn Wolfhard

Finn Wolfhard who plays Mike Wheeler similarly posted a slideshow of behind-the-scene snaps from all the different seasons of the show and admitted he's "still in shock" that they have finished the show.

"We just wrapped Stranger things Season 5. I’m still in shock," he wrote. "We shot it for a year and I’ll miss all of my friends and our characters terribly. When I think of the show, I picture this first photo. A bunch of goofy young people making something they think is cool but really have no clue what’s to come."

He added: "I feel like we’re still those people and I’m lucky to still stand beside them today. I hope you’ll love this season as much as I do. See you all next year."

Sadie Sink

Sadie Sink who plays Max Mayfield in the show and joined the cast from season two. She had one of the most iconic scenes in the show last season when she was targeted by villain Vecna but managed to escape his clutches, to the tune of the Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)' which resulted in the song gaining popularity and returned to No.1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart in 2022.

"That’s a series wrap on Stranger Things," she wrote in an Instagram post with a carousel of behind-the-scenes photos with the rest of the cast.

"This show, character, and every person involved made me who I am. It gave me the most amazing childhood. It brought me to my best friends. Saying goodbye is so painful, but I leave with memories and love to last a lifetime. I’m eternally grateful".

Noah Schnapp

Noah Schnapp who plays Will Byers took to Instagram and shared photos from the set, which include him celebrating his birthday, at an award ceremony with Millie Bobby Brown, hugging Winona Ryder, and spending time with his fellow castmates.

"Two days ago, I wrapped my final scene as Will Byers, and I’m feeling very emotional," he said in the caption. "As I close this chapter of my life, I can’t help but be forever grateful for the incredible people that I’ve met and valuable life/career lessons I learned through this decade journey."

He then shared his top 10 lessons that he's from this experience which include that the Duffer Brothers taught him that "the creative process takes time and it’s okay to be meticulous about creating perfect moments," while Ryder "sparked my love for film by introducing me to her favorite classics from movies like Terms of Endearment to Almost Famous," and Millie taught him to "embrace my silliness and that life never should be taken too seriously."

Schnapped then explained: "Growing up I always felt like an outcast, unsure of where I fit in. Navigating life in the spotlight while carrying this feeling, through every awkward phase and embarrassing moment exposed for the world to see, has definitely been an unusual experience. But I’ve been honored to share it with my incredible co-stars, who understand it in a way that no one else can."

"Stranger Things was more than a job; it was a lifelong dream. A dream made reality thanks to the Duffers. Thank you for taking a chance on me when I was just a 10 year old kid and entrusting me with something so important to you both."

He concluded: "Together, this cast + crew has built something so very special, and I couldn’t be any more excited for the world to see the final chapter. Stranger Things is a never ending story for me - it’s in my heart forever".

Elsewhere, everything that we already know about Stranger Things 5.

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Sign up to our free indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.