At the world premiere of Stranger Things 5 in Los Angeles Thursday night, the cast gathered to celebrate the grand conclusion to the franchise that’s ruled pop culture for the past decade. The night was packed with nostalgia, neon, and a whole lot of queer energy, because according to the cast, the final season might just be the gayest one yet.
For anyone who needs a refresher, Stranger Things is a sci-fi horror drama set in the 1980s in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, where government experiments opened a portal to a terrifying alternate dimension known as the Upside Down. When young Will Byers mysteriously vanishes, his friends and family uncover supernatural forces, secret labs, and a mysterious girl with telekinetic powers known only as Eleven. Over the seasons, the group has faced monsters, conspiracies, and heartbreak, all while holding onto the bonds that keep them grounded through chaos.
The hit Netflix series stars Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, David Harbour as Chief Jim Hopper, and Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers. Together, this ensemble has brought to life a nostalgic, heart-pounding story filled with friendship, courage, and plenty of otherworldly danger.
But this season, fans can also expect something extra: a celebration of queerness woven into the heart of Hawkins. Gayety caught up with the cast on the red carpet and asked just how gay the final season gets.
“Gay is such a positive word, so I’ll say it’s the gayest it’s ever been,” said Schnapp.
On a scale of one to ten, Amybeth McNulty, who plays Robin’s (Hawke) love interest Vickie, gave it a confident six. “I’m keeping it chill. I could be lying,” she teased. But are there a few gay scenes to look forward to? “Yes, of course,” she continued. “I love the gays. I would never!”
Even Brett Gelman joined in on the fun, declaring, “Everything that is high quality in the world is gay.” Period, king. “This is one of the greatest things ever made so it’s a 10 on the gay scale.”
He added with a laugh, “Even if there’s no literal gayness in it, you have to be channeling gayness. I mean, we’re all in costumes, c’mon!”
And his final verdict? “I’d say it’s a 10. But it should be a 20.”
The final season of Stranger Things will roll out in three parts: Volume 1 (Episodes 1–4) arrives November 26, Volume 2 (Episodes 5–7) lands on Christmas Day, and the epic Finale (Episode 8) hits New Year’s Eve. All episodes launch at 5 p.m. PT, just in time to ring in the queerest new year Hawkins has ever seen.
