‘Stranger Things’ star reveals on-screen romance changed mid-production

Stranger Things fans fell in love with Steve and Robin’s adorable friendship during the third season of the Netflix show. 

Many people wanted them to be a couple until Robin came out to Steve when he professed his love for her. 

Read more: Breaking Benjamin vocalist teases side project with Flyleaf frontwoman

Now, Maya Hawke, who plays Robin, said that side story wasn’t initially part of the script. 

“Throughout filming, we started to feel like she and (Steve) shouldn’t get together, and that she’s gay,” Hawke said to the Wall Street Journal Magazine. “Even when I go back and watch earlier episodes, it just seems like the most obvious decision ever.” 

She said they made the decision midseason to have the character come out. 

“The Duffer brothers and I, and Shawn Levy had a lot of conversations throughout shooting and it wasn’t relly until we were shooting episode four and five, I think, that we made the final decision,” she said. “It was kind of a collaborative conversation, and I’m really, really happy with that way that it went.” 

Hawke hopes that the scene where she comes out to Steve after he pours his heart out to her inspires others to be themselves. 

“Sometimes  we can have empathy for people on screen that we wouldn’t normally have empathy for in real life,” she said. “If I can hope for anything it’s that maybe some people fell in love with Robin and that helped them fall in love with girls who love girls and boys who love boys.”

 “I loved Robin, and I gave her everything I had, and I tried to make her as human and multidimensional as I could, and I wanted people to love her,” she added. “But honestly when you bring a new character onto a TV show that is already so beloved, it’s very rare that it’s received that well… and I’m so grateful that people fell in love with Robin the way that I did.”

As previously stated, the third season of Stranger Thingsdropped July 4. Check out a trailer below.

More Stranger Things news

It’s no secret that Stranger Things plays heavy on the ‘80s nostalgia, especially with the third season of the Netflix show which dropped earlier this month

The show has made a lot of references to different styles and pop culture moments from previous decades, especially when it comes to films. 

Now the Duffer Brothers, who created the series, have revealed to Wired all 27 films they’ve referenced in Stranger Things in total. 

Most of them came out before 1985, which is when the third season was set, but they definitely fit the film. Check out the full list below. 

Alien (1979)
Aliens (1986)
Altered States (1980)
Carrie (1976)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Cujo (1983)
E.T. (1982)
Escape from New York (1981)
Firestarter (1984)
Frankenstein (1931)
Ghostbusters (1984)
Gremlins (1984)

Indiana Jones (all of them)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
It (1990)
Jaws (1975)
John Hughes’ filmography
Jurassic Park (1993)
Mad Max (1979)
Risky Business (1983)
Scanners (1981)
Stand By Me (1986)
Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Super 8 (2011)
The Evil Dead (1981)
The Exorcist (1973)
The Thing (1982)

You can watch the full interview of the films below. 

What do you think of the character’s progression throughout the season? Sound off in the comments down below!

See more: 10 most iconic music video looks

[envira-gallery id=”186695″]