Why did Stranger Things season 5 recast Holly Wheeler? Explained

Stranger Things season 5 was announced as the final season of the show in a letter published by the Duffer brothers on February 17, 2022.

Until season 4 of the show, prominent supporting character Holly Wheeler had been played by twin sisters Anniston and Tinsley Price. However, for season 5, Holly Wheeler will be played by Nell Fisher.

This casting change might foreshadow Holly Wheeler moving out of the background into a more prominent role in Stranger Things season 5, especially given the reports of season 5 occurring after a time skip.

The production of Stranger Things season 5 came back into the public eye on July 3, when Ross Duffer announced that it was halfway through production, and on July 15, Netflix posted a Behind the Scenes teaser on the show's YouTube channel.

Stranger Things season 5 will be released sometime in 2025.

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Who is Nell Fisher from Stranger Things season 5?

Nell Fisher is an American child actor who has already made a splash in the horror genre with her role as Kassie in 2023's Evil Dead Rise. The film is the latest installment in the Evil Dead franchise, which started out as a staple of 1980s horror, which Stranger Things takes heavy inspiration from.

Given her established pedigree, it's likely the producers of Stranger Things see Nell Fisher's potential in elevating the character of Holly Wheeler once she finally comes out of the background in Stranger Things season 5.

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Nell Fisher appears briefly in the Behind the Scenes teaser

Both new and returning cast members were featured in the Stranger Things behind-the-scenes teaser released on July 15.

While Nell Fisher doesn't speak in the video, the featurette does briefly show a scene with her at the 1:25 mark. Stranger Things season 5 will focus on the aftermath of Vecna's defeat in the season 4 finale.

However, despite Vecna's plans being foiled, the gates to the Upside Down have opened up in Hawkins, meaning all manner of otherworldly threats can now infiltrate the town.

Even though Vecna was defeated, he wasn't killed, with the story leaving the possibility of his vengeful return very much open.

The full list of returning and new characters is as follows:

• Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler
• Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers
• Noah Schnapp as Joyce's son, Will Byers
• Charlie Heaton as Will's older brother, Jonathan Byers
• David Harbour as Jim Hopper
• Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven/Jane Hopper, who was an escapee from the Hawkins Laboratory before she became Jim Hopper's adoptive daughter
• Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler
• Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson
• Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair
• Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield
• Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler
• Joe Keery as Steve Harrington
• Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley
• Amybeth McNulty as Vickie
• Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair
• Brett Gellman as Murray Bauman
• Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler
• Jake Connelly as Derek
• Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna, a returning villain from season 4

Apart from the above cast, Linda Hamilton and Alex Breaux have been cast in undisclosed roles.

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Stranger Things season 5 was already hotly anticipated since its announcement in February 2022, but the recasting of Holly Wheeler is sure to generate further buzz around it. The final season of Stranger Things will be out on 2025, exclusively on Netflix.