The world of Stranger Things may have bid farewell to its live-action run on New Year’s Eve, but the franchise is far from over. Netflix’s new animated expansion, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, has already shown that there are plenty more stories left to tell in Hawkins. Premiering in April and earning a swift Season 2 renewal just days after its debut, the series takes viewers back to a key chapter in the timeline between Seasons 2 and 3 of the original live-action show. While Eleven’s closure of the gate at Hawkins Lab seemingly brought the Upside Down threat to an end, the animated series finds new ways to keep mystery and adventure alive.

Developed by showrunner Eric Robles and executive produced by Stranger Things creators Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, Tales From ’85 captures the limitless possibilities of animation. At the heart of the series is Eleven, voiced by newcomer Brooklyn Davey Norstedt, who steps into one of television’s most iconic roles.

For our latest digital feature, we caught up with Brooklyn who discusses the emotional moment she discovered she would be voicing Eleven, what makes Tales From ’85 stand apart from the live-action series, and the unique challenge of bringing Eleven’s quiet strength to life through animation.

Exclusive Photos for Popternative Magazine by Kathlyn Almeida 
Hair and Makeup: Rachel Andersen 
PR: Sean Reilly

What was your first reaction when you found out you’d be joining the Stranger Things universe?

Brooklyn: I was absolutely shocked. Throughout the entire audition process, I didn’t know it was for Stranger Things. So on the Zoom call, when they revealed that, and the fact that my character was Eleven, it felt surreal. Especially with me being a huge fan of the original, and Eleven always being my favorite character. It wasn’t just “oh, it’s Stranger Things, this is so cool because it’s such a massively successful franchise,” my reaction was because of my personal connection to it. I was crying and laughing and just saying thank you five million times, and then when I got off the call, I left my room and just looked at my parents—who were also so excited for me—in such disbelief. 

What do you think makes Tales From ’85 feel unique compared to the live-action series?

Brooklyn: With animation, you can really go all out and get super creative with what you’re able to bring to life. In Tales From ’85, Eric Robles and his team at Flying Bark and Netflix have been able to find a way to bring the same feelings you get with the original, but with new twists. It has a mystery of its own that you get to solve with these beloved characters. It’s also really just focused on the kids and their dynamics and interactions with each other, which I love to see. It’s the same characters, but brought to life in a different way, and it’s interesting to see them in this light. 

Brooklyn: And the animation itself is absolutely incredible; our team has done a phenomenal job with it. It’s so beautiful and very unique. It has its own standout, individual style, and I just love it so much. Bringing Stranger Things to life in animated form, especially with this in-between timeline, is not an easy feat. Everyone involved with this project truly gave it their all, and they absolutely crushed it. I can’t express how grateful I am to be a tiny part of a HUGE team working behind the scenes to make magic like this happen. Animation takes so long, so for me, it’s been such a privilege to see all of the development, it makes the end result even more rewarding. 

Eleven often communicates so much with very few words. How did you approach capturing her personality through voice alone?

Brooklyn: This was a hard part of my job at times. Because she doesn’t have as many words, and I don’t have my face [shown], I wanted and needed to give my heart and soul into every single line. I could have easily done an impression of Millie [Bobby Brown], but it was more important to me to really focus on who Eleven is and bringing her to life in a new medium. Voicing an animated character is different performance wise and a unique challenge for me, especially with an already existing, iconic character that so many people love. 

Brooklyn: Watching the live action was certainly a huge, if not, the main part of my preparation. Because of my history with the show and the sheer amount of times I’ve watched it, and just felt what El was feeling, I was really able to put myself in her shoes in the booth, as if I were actually going through what she goes through in Tales From ’85. 

Was there a particular aspect of Eleven that you wanted to emphasize in your performance?

Brooklyn: I wanted to emphasize her innocence and excitement for experiencing life with Hopper and her friends. After the events of seasons 1-2 of the live-action, she’s so grateful that it’s all over and this is a time for her to really let loose and have fun. I wanted to accentuate who she is separate from her powers—and that is honestly just a kid. She’s growing up and learning about herself and how a normal life looks apart from what she has experienced. 

Brooklyn: But also, when the monsters do inevitably show up again, I wanted to portray her resilience. She will always fight and sacrifice anything for her friends without fail. Her heart for those she loves, her bravery and persistence, and passion for what’s right are all very important qualities I wanted to highlight in my performance.

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Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 Season 1 is streaming on Netflix.

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