'Stranger Things' Stars Then and Now: Wow, They've Really Grown Up

Cast members from Stranger Things posed on the red carpet on May 14, 2022, at the season 4 premiere in New York. From left to right, they are Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), and Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair).

Correction: An earlier version of this caption incorrectly included David Harbour.

Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, was fittingly just 11 years old when she was cast in 2015. She looks so young and vulnerable here, as her character has just escaped from the lab where her powers were being tested.

Eleven got to wear actual clothes and grow out her hair as she slowly fit in with the Hawkins kids.

In season 3, Eleven and Max strike up a 1980s-girl friendship and enjoy a crazy shopping day at Starcourt Mall.

Eleven moves to California with the Byers family in season 4, and she sure looks a lot more grown-up. But she can't escape her past.

Science geek Dustin is seen here in the first season. Actor Gaten Matarazzo was born with cleidocranial dysplasia, and that was written into Dustin's storyline, too. The condition mostly affects bones and teeth.

Dustin cleans up pretty well. Here he is at the dance at the end of season 2.

In season 3, Dustin returns home from science camp and can't stop talking about his new girlfriend, Suzie. She helps the kids out at a pivotal moment.

Looks like Dustin will again be a major presence in the fourth season. And his curly hair remains the same, season to season.

Finn Wolfhard plays Mike Wheeler, seen here looking especially young in season 1.

Mike and friends struggle to understand what's up in Hawkins in season 2.

In season 3, Mike and Eleven begin a relationship, and Mike's looking a little more mature. Police Chief Jim Hopper, Eleven's adoptive dad, isn't happy about the young couple.

Mike loses Eleven to California in season 4. Maybe he finds comfort in the Hellfire Club, the Hawkins D&D club, as seen on his shirt.

Noah Schnapp plays Will Byers, whose abduction in the first season kicks off the entire series.

Will does get home, but he's not exactly the same after his abduction. His hair is kind of the same, though.

The Mind Flayer continues to haunt Will in season 3, giving him a haunted look.

Caleb McLaughlin plays Lucas Sinclair. McLaughlin is the oldest of the kid group on the show, as he was 14 when cast on the show.

In season 2, Lucas meets Max, who will become his girlfriend.

Lucas saves the day with some smart fireworks hoarding in the big mall battle of season 3.

Season 4 Lucas looks much more grown-up than previous seasons, and apparently he's a basketball player now. When season 4 premieres, McLaughlin will be 20 years old.

British actor Charlie Heaton plays Jonathan Byers, brother of the missing Will in season 1. He was 22 when he started on the show.

Jonathan stepped out of his nerdy scapegoat role in season 2 and developed a stronger relationship with Nancy.

In season 3, Jonathan and Nancy both work as interns at the Hawkins Post newspaper.

Joe Keery plays Steve "The Hair" Harrington, and Natalia Dyer plays Nancy Wheeler. Though they play high schoolers, Keery was 24 and Dyer was 21 when the show started.

Nancy moves away from Steve and toward Jonathan as the show progresses. She's seen here with shorter, more modern hair in season 2.

Nancy's hair is a little more styled in season 3, when she works as an intern at the Hawkins Post and is mockingly nicknamed "Nancy Drew" by the employees.

Season 4 Nancy has been through a lot and isn't giving up. Dyer will be 27 when the fourth season premieres.

Check out those very-1980s hairstyles on Natalia Dyer and Joe Keery.

Face it, Steve was a jerk in season 1, but he began redeeming himself in season 2.

Steve really came into his own in season 3, with a job at Scoops Ahoy and a big-brother friendship with Dustin.

Sadie Sink joined the cast as Max Mayfield in season 2.

Max helps Eleven find herself some cool 1980s outfits at Starcourt Mall in season 3.

Think Steve is looking pretty adult? Keery is 30 now.

Australian actor Dacre Montgomery hasn't had as much time to change as the other actors, as he's only been on the show for two seasons. He plays bad boy Billy Hargrove.

The Hawkins mothers drool over Billy the lifeguard. Sadly, this is about the highlight of the season for him.

Lucas' little sister, Erica, has no fear of the bigger kids. Priah Ferguson was just 9 when she started playing the role.

Season 3 Erica is invaluable to the bigger kids when it comes to tracking down the Russian lab.

Erica is one of the gang again in season 4.

Maya Hawke joined the show in season 3, playing Robin, Steve's co-worker at Scoops Ahoy. Hawke is the daughter of actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman.

Hooray, Robin is back for season 4!