Winona Ryder Opens Up About The Bittersweet Farewell To 'Stranger Things' - BABEOfficial 2025

Winona Ryder's Emotional Goodbye

Actress Winona Ryder, at 54, is getting real about bidding farewell to the wildly popular Netflix series, Stranger Things. The show, which first captured audiences back in 2016, is set to wrap up with its fifth and final season premiering on November 26. During a candid chat on the November 20 episode of Hot Ones, hosted by Sean Evans, Ryder opened up about the emotional rollercoaster of wrapping up a series that's been a significant part of her life.

In the interview, Evans asked Ryder to "describe the emotions [on her] final day of shooting" and whether it felt more like a celebration or a somber farewell. Ryder reflected on her younger co-stars, noting that they've spent "half of their lives" on the show and shared her own experiences from her early days in Hollywood. "Back when I was a young teenager and really thinking, 'God, am I ever going to see this person again?' And I remember explaining to a couple [of co-stars], 'Well, our friendship isn't over.' But it does feel like that," Ryder shared.

“I remember on the movie that I did with Jason Robards, I wrote like the entire crew birthday cards for like years afterwards," said Ryder. "And some of them I didn't hear back from. And so sometimes it's like a slow realization like, 'Oh I thought we were really good friends.'”

Stranger Things Stars Reflect on Their Final Day

The emotional farewell wasn't unique to Ryder alone. Other stars of Stranger Things have also been vocal about their last day on set. Finn Wolfhard, who brings Mike Wheeler to life, described the day as "feeling like a dream" in a June 2025 interview on the Zach Sang Show. He poignantly realized it was "the last time I'm going to see all these people in the same room, at the same time together."

Millie Bobby Brown, known for her role as Eleven, shared her own teary-eyed goodbye in a March 2025 interview with the Associated Press. Despite the tears, she looks back on that day "with happiness," cherishing the memories and bonds formed with the crew who "raised us."

Meanwhile, Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin Henderson, likened the final day to "a graduation" during a November 2025 episode of Jesse Tyler Ferguson's podcast, Dinner's On Me. Each cast member's reflection underscores the deep connections and emotions tied to this groundbreaking show.