Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 star reveals why and how her Eleven is different to Millie Bobby Brown’s

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Though it seemed uncertain what would happen to Eleven at the conclusion of Stranger Things season 5, the character will continue her story in a new spin-off series called Tales from ’85.

The animated series will feature a new voice cast, taking place chronologically between the second and third seasons of the original show. Brooklyn Davey Norstedt will voice Eleven, taking over from Millie Bobby Brown, who originally played the character.

In an exclusive interview with TopMob, actress Norstedt discussed her approach to the role, explaining she didn’t want to simply copy Millie’s performance. She felt that mimicking the original would remove the emotional depth and authenticity, and she didn’t want to come across as artificial.

It was a really interesting experience finding common ground with Eleven. Even though I don’t have superpowers or a scientific upbringing, I surprisingly found a lot of ways to connect with her and understand what she was going through.

I connected with the character because she experiences emotions very intensely, and I was able to draw on my own vulnerability to portray that. I think a lot of who I am personally came through in the performance.

According to Norstedt, Eleven is discovering her identity and finding her voice. They focused heavily on building her confidence and willingness to stand up for herself, allowing her to make her own decisions and explore that side of her personality.

Norstedt’s performance wasn’t entirely scripted; he often added spontaneous lines and moments. Eric Robles, the showrunner, wanted to keep these improvisations to highlight how much younger the characters are in ‘Tales from ’85’ than they were in season 5.

I felt comfortable experimenting with different ideas while recording. I’d often add little bits just to see how they sounded. Sometimes those additions made it into the final version, and sometimes not, but I was always surprised and pleased when they did. It was fun to look back and realize they’d actually used something I improvised.

Plus, as a Stranger Things superfan, Norstedt was very happy to do her research.

As a huge fan of the show, I spent a ton of time rewatching everything, really trying to understand Eleven – who she is deep down. I wanted to pay respect to Millie Bobby Brown’s amazing performance, but also figure out Eleven for myself and bring that understanding to my work. It was about honoring what was already there while also making her feel real and fresh.

I pay a lot of attention to detail,” she explained. “I focused especially on season two because it best reflects her journey at that point in the story. It was really important to me to get her character right – she’s figuring out who she is, finding her voice, and discovering her place in the world. I wanted to truly capture that stage of her life.

As for how Norstedt views Brown and her performance?

I’ve admired her for a long time, not only for her acting as Eleven, but also for who she is as a person, she explained.

I care deeply for her, and I know the fans feel the same way. I wanted to do justice to her performance and everything she invested in the character, because she clearly loves Eleven as much as I do.

You can watch the new Stranger Things animated special, Tales from ’85, on Netflix starting Thursday, April 23rd. And if you haven’t already, all previous seasons of Stranger Things are currently available to stream!

Don’t miss out on Stranger Things: Tales from ’85! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app now for daily TV recommendations and exclusive content.

Authors

Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor

Louise Griffin edits the Sci-Fi & Fantasy section at TopMob, writing about popular franchises like Doctor Who, Star Wars, Marvel, House of the Dragon, and Good Omens. Before TopMob, she was a Senior Entertainment Reporter at Metro and holds a degree in English Literature.

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2026-04-21 19:43