- 2 days ago
"I think what I love about this show is that there are these grounding scenes where you're just real, where you're like this is a real person, this is a real conversation, these are real relationships, so I love that scene," Dyer said.
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00:00Hi, I'm Natalia Dyer, and I'm in studio with The Hollywood Reporter.
00:07Okay, so Natalia, season three.
00:10Yeah.
00:11Do you have to do anything when a season drops to prepare yourself?
00:15Do you have to go on social media blackout, or...?
00:18Um, yes, I think naturally I'm not super on top of social media for that reason, just in general.
00:28Um, so, yeah, I think, I think I tend to back off a little bit, you know, after, because there's a lot, and I'm an anxious person, so it's a little bit of anxiety for me, but of course there's a lot of, a lot of love from fans, you know, from all over, which is incredible and amazing.
00:50Um, but, yeah, I think my tendency is to kind of just, just pull back a little bit, because it can be a little intense.
00:59Yeah, I feel like all three seasons had very different kind of debuts, because you had kind of a very secret debut for the first season, so you, like, what was that like?
01:09You didn't know what was going to happen, whether the show was going to be successful.
01:13No, we left season one when we wrapped, you know, we looked at each other, and it was like, you know, it was one of those, like, goodbye, maybe forever, like, I hope, uh, and this was fun, I think, I think it's good, you think it's good, but who knows when you put it out, like, you know, what the context is, how people react to it, you have no idea.
01:30Yeah, so I think all of us weren't quite sure, and they didn't, you know, the press around season one wasn't really there as much, it just kind of, like, happened, and then, yeah, the reaction was just, you know, overwhelmingly nice, but overwhelming, so it was surreal.
01:52Things started to pick up really quickly.
01:55What's the most surreal moment of the kind of out-of-control success of Stranger Things?
02:00Oh, gosh, when you have, like, a Funko Pop doll of yourself is bizarre, but, yeah, people in general, just people, and I was living in New York, that's where I live now, but it was, like, the day it came out, somebody, you know, you're Nancy, and I'm just, like, it just, like, oh, my, really, you know, and it's, you know, ever since then, it's, it's, that's a thing.
02:23Yeah, yeah, there's, there's a lot of surreal, I think your brain tries to adapt to it, to make sense of it, and, like, this is me now, but I, you know, anytime I examine that whole situation, it's, it's just a very bizarre, surreal world.
02:39Yeah, well, let's talk a little bit about what happens to Nancy in season three.
02:42Were you excited to find out that she was going into a career as an investigative reporter?
02:48Yes, oh, my gosh, yes, it made so much sense.
02:52You know, she was, you know, she was always intelligent, and, you know, smart, thinking girl, but this, this curious sensibility, this, you know, this nose for finding the truth, and finding it out, and knowing, you know, you see it in season one, and then in season two, they meet Murray, and I think there's something, I do think Murray is, like, a bit of a weird mentor for Nancy, in a way.
03:19You know, somebody who really devoted themselves to finding out the truth, and getting it out there, and I think it's, it's a very natural progression for her, in the normal world, to, to explore that, you know, the journalism, investigative journalism side of things.
03:39And what was it like to kind of have to dig into what Nancy has to go through? Because she's dealing with, she's dealing with conflict on three fronts. She's got, you know, a horrible crazy rat infestation mystery going.
03:55She's got, you know, she's fighting with Jonathan, but she's also dealing with sexual discrimination, which I think is kind of, you know, it's, it's kind of a more serious topic for Stranger Things.
04:07It is, you know, I don't, I don't think they approach it in a heavy-handed way. In fact, I think they put it in the show in a very matter of fact, just obvious.
04:16Of course, you know, this is a thing that, I mean, it was happening then, it's still happening, but I think to see that in a show that is very fun, and, you know, there's a, there's a lot of fun elements, and it's a fun thing to watch.
04:28You know, I'm glad that they threw that in there and gave, you know, Nancy this chance to push up against a different kind of conflict, you know, and to really, because she's grown into a woman who's, who's confident, and, you know, she knows she's smart, but this is, you know, it's like, it's one of the first times that the world is kind of pushing back and being like, you know, but nobody's listening, but you're not, but, you know, there's so, there's all this self-doubt that you really, I mean, you know,
04:58teenage girl, it's like you start to hit these, these walls that are placed, and, you know, she's bumping into this, and, you know, seething, she's so angry, and it spirals into this journey that, you know, I think, it helps her grow, felt very cathartic, as well, but I just think it's so, it's so relatable, and of course, it's a period show, and to see that, and like, oh, yeah, the 80s, but, you know, to recognize that,
05:28people are obviously still feeling this so much, you know, it's easy for a woman, for me, you know, to go in there, and it's like, I, yeah, I know what this feels like, of course I do know what this feels like to be, you know, looked down upon by, you know, older men, and underestimated by men, and I think, you know, it's a very relatable thing,
05:52so I'm very curious to see how people will react to it, but I'm glad, yeah, I know, I was really quite excited when I started, I was like, oh, yeah, like, yes, let's do this.
06:02Yeah, yeah, yeah, and you were able to really dig from a personal place to, like, be able to kind of make it effective.
06:10Because Nancy's also a bit, like, she has this, really, this sense of self, but she's also, you know, in season one, like, she's a bit of a pleaser, she's a bit of a good girl, she's, you know, so it's like fighting that, you know, presentational self versus, you know, what's really in there.
06:24And then there's a little bit of a casting Easter egg, because one of your tormentors is Jake Busey, who's Gary Busey's son, 80s icon.
06:34Of course.
06:35What was that like to be kind of, like, having those, like, kind of intense humiliation scenes with Jake Busey?
06:44Yeah, Jake and Michael as well, you know, both of them were, I mean, they deliver so much, and they're so generous and so in it,
06:52so they were incredible actors to work with, but they're also, you know, the nicest, funny, like, family guys, and really lovely, and of course, you know, you do an intense scene,
07:01then you break, and then you're, you know, laughing, and they really kind of clear the air of that energy, which I think is good, you know, when you're doing that kind of stuff,
07:10it's always nice to be with actors who have that levity.
07:12No method actors on.
07:13Right, no, with that, I mean, no, please, get out of town.
07:17And you have this really touching scene with your mother, too, played by Cara Buono.
07:22Yeah.
07:23That was, that was really intense, so it's really beautiful to see the two of you get to commiserate with each other
07:29while you're kind of going on these crazy sci-fi adventures.
07:34Yeah.
07:34There's, like, this moment of truth between the two of you.
07:37Like, really, yeah, those, and those are my favorite parts of this.
07:38I mean, of course, it's so fun to shoot these sci-fi adventure, fun action things, really fun,
07:44but I think what I love about this show is that there are, there's these grounding scenes
07:50or these real, where you're, like, this is a real person, this is a real conversation,
07:54these are real relationships.
07:56So I love that scene.
07:57I'm so happy because, you know, Nancy and her mother have had some scenes in the past,
08:03but they've always been quite distant, you know, trying to, like, you know,
08:08the classic mother, teenage daughter, like, get out of my room.
08:11But to, like, see her as she grows into being a woman, to, like, pull her mother closer
08:16and be, like, help me.
08:17And I think, you know, there's that mutual, you know, I think they help each other in that moment.
08:23It was, yeah, it was so nice.
08:25And, of course, Kara's lovely.
08:27She's a lovely human.
08:28She's a lovely actress.
08:29So it was a really good day.
08:30Okay, so let's talk a little bit about the sci-fi elements of Stranger Things.
08:35Season 3, the old lady that you're investigating, does she explode?
08:40Because I really don't want her to explode.
08:43Oh, I don't know if I can say.
08:46What I can say about her is that she is amazing.
08:50As an actress, that woman is incredible.
08:53She gave so much all the time, every time she was game for everything.
08:58And you know a little bit about the other storylines.
09:01Is there another storyline that you would have liked to have jumped into?
09:06Like, whether it was the Starcourt Mall sleuths or the exorcism of Billy or Joyce's supermagnet mystery.
09:14Any of those stories would you have liked to have been a part of?
09:17I'm always pitching Hanging Out with Murray, I think.
09:22I mean, you know, I like it.
09:24Brett's so fun to hang out with and he's, you know, great to work with.
09:27But I do think I'm so interested in that dynamic between Nancy and Murray.
09:31I think they have, you know, they push each other in a way that I think is just an interesting thing to explore.
09:37So I think that would have been fun.
09:41But I, you know, I feel pretty good about Nancy's storyline this year.
09:47She gets to go through, she goes through quite a bit.
09:49She has a good ride.
09:50Yeah, yeah.
09:51And it all comes together, everything comes together.
09:54It does, right.
09:54I'm assuming.
09:55I mean, you know, it's just, it's the nature of family.
10:00What would you like to see for Nancy as you head into the next adventure?
10:04It's always really hard to say because, I mean, there's just, we literally don't know anything.
10:13We got no, we got nothing.
10:16So you can only really imagine.
10:19But I really, you know, I like the direction she's going in.
10:23I think what makes sense, like, keep being very adamant.
10:27I'm like, Nancy cannot go to college.
10:29Like, nothing against college.
10:30But I'm just like, if you went through this, all of this stuff, how could you go sit through, you know?
10:36But who knows?
10:37You know, the brothers always pull through and write amazing storylines for everybody.
10:42And they think of things you could never think of.
10:44But, you know, I can't see Nancy backing down or, you know, I think that's just an inherent quality in her,
10:51this, like, journalistic, this, like, you know, figure things out.
10:57She gets, you know, some satisfaction out of it that I think she would struggle to find anywhere else at this point.
11:04So, yeah, it's really hard to say because, you know, I mean, they know what they're doing and I don't.
11:11So, another thing I wanted to point out was how amazing your wardrobe was this season.
11:18You definitely got the best clothing, I think, out of any of the characters.
11:23Yeah, it was fun.
11:25And it's, you know, in general, I think there's just, like, the colors this season, the cuts, like, the shapes of things.
11:30You know, it's finally warm.
11:33So, you get to explore a whole different kind of 80s clothing.
11:36You know, pool stuff is cool.
11:39So, that was fun, different, you know, to wear some lighter, colorful things and in contrast with the darkness of the season, you know, where it goes.
11:51But, yeah, there are some good ones.
11:53Yeah, it's, she's definitely taken on a more, you know, when the show, when we find her, she's taken on a little bit more of a, like, professional kind of,
12:03or, you know, what a teenage girl might think of, professional kind of, an aesthetic.
12:08Yeah, and I'm going to go real 80s on you and say, like, she's straight out of, like, a Kaja Gugu video, which I am assuming you have no idea what I'm saying.
12:18It sounds so fun.
12:19It does.
12:21Who teaches you about the 80s?
12:23Is there anybody who, who...
12:25I mean, right, so my main reference is, like, my mother, of course, like, because she, I mean, she loves the 80s.
12:31But, you know, everyone on set, of course, everyone working in, in costumes, everyone, like, hair, like, everybody, most everybody was around for the 80s.
12:41And they, they, they're passionate about it.
12:44And I think that's part of what makes the show so great is because you have all these people who are really passionate about getting it right and getting it detailed.
12:49I mean, you know, I don't, I, I didn't really do, aside from watching, you know, like, film references, I didn't do a whole lot of deep dives into, like, 80s magazines and stuff.
13:02Um, but just, yeah, talking to people, um, and, you know, we've, we've kind of been living in that world, um, the, you know, that space for, for a minute.
13:15So it feels, you know, not, not exactly familiar, but it's a nice kind of escape when we are filming.
13:22Yeah.
13:22Um, but no, I mean, no, I don't, is this something, this is something I should know.
13:27No, no, you definitely should not have to know about Kajagugu.
13:30Kajagugu.
13:31It's a band.
13:31This is a band.
13:32What kind of band is this?
13:33I would just throw, like, that is a very obscure reference.
13:36Okay.
13:36But it's a pop band from the 80s.
13:38Yeah.
13:39I mean.
13:40No, but if you look up their videos, there's the, the dresses.
13:44Yeah, the cool vibe of the dresses.
13:45Very, like, early Madonna, too.
13:46Right.
13:47No, I do, yeah, I do think there's a lot of, I mean, I remember in the, in the wardrobe department, you know, we go down for fittings and they just have, the walls are plastered with, um, cutouts and, like, pages from, you know, of the 80s magazines.
13:59Like, fashion magazines and it's just so, so interesting, you know.
14:04And it's also interesting to see the, the trends that inevitably cycle back, you know.
14:10Yeah.
14:10Like, that cycle back into society and you're like, oh, yeah.
14:13You can find that at Urban Outfitters right now.
14:15Yeah.
14:16Um, but yeah, it's cool.
14:18It's, yeah, it's very, to have everybody care so much about the specificity of what they're doing really just makes the show what it is.
14:26Yeah.
14:26Thank you so much.
14:27For being here.
14:28And, uh, Stranger Things Season 3 on Netflix.
14:31Check it out.
14:32Watch it.
14:33Watch it.
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