‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ — Cast, Characters & Everything You Need to Know

All ten episodes of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 are streaming now on Netflix. The animated spinoff of the original series is set during the winter of 1985, slotting between Seasons 2 and 3, and follows Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Max, Lucas and Will as they face new supernatural threats in Hawkins. The series is set within the official timeline but is considered soft canon, designed as a self-contained story that complements the main series rather than directly impacting it.

A new voice cast takes on the familiar roles. The series uses a fresh ensemble to better match the characters’ ages in the 1985 timeline. Alongside returning characters, the series introduces Nikki Baxter, a new punk-rock teenager whose presence expands the world of Hawkins in ways the original series did not explore.

For DIRECTV customers, Netflix is available to add to your account, and Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is available to stream. All ten episodes are ready to watch right now.

Quick facts

What is ‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ about?

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is an animated sci-fi horror adventure that expands the world of Hawkins through a new storytelling format. Blending supernatural mystery with coming-of-age themes, the series follows the core group as they encounter a fresh threat tied to the Upside Down. While it retains the tone, character dynamics and 1980s influences that define Stranger Things, the animated style allows for more stylized action, faster pacing and standalone storytelling that complements the original series rather than continuing it directly.

Cast at a Glance

• Brooklyn Davey Norstedt — Eleven / Jane Hopper
• Jolie Hoang-Rappaport — Max Mayfield
• Jeremy Jordan — Steve Harrington
• Odessa A’zion — Nikki Baxter
• Luca Diaz — Mike Wheeler
• Braxton Quinney — Dustin Henderson
• Elisha “EJ” Williams — Lucas Sinclair
• Benjamin Plessala — Will Byers
• Brett Gipson — Jim Hopper
• Robert Englund — Cosmo
• Janeane Garofalo — Anna Baxter
• Lou Diamond Phillips — Daniel Fischer
• Alysia Reiner — Karen Wheeler
• Alessandra Antonelli — Nancy Wheeler
• Jack Griffo — Jeff
• Valeria Rodriguez — Rosario

Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven / Jane Hopper

Brooklyn Davey Norstedt voices Eleven, the telekinetic heart of the Stranger Things universe, in what is the series’ most consequential casting decision. Millie Bobby Brown’s portrayal of Eleven across four seasons is one of the defining performances of the streaming era, making this one of the more challenging voice roles in recent animated television.

Norstedt takes on the character at a specific point in Eleven’s timeline, between her reunion with Hopper in Season 2 and the events of Season 3, when she is still learning what it means to be part of a family and a group of friends. Early responses from fans have focused on how the performance translates the character’s emotional restraint and quiet intensity into a purely vocal format.

Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max Mayfield

Jolie Hoang-Rappaport voices Max Mayfield, the fiercely independent skateboarder whose arc across the original series became one of its most emotionally affecting threads. Set in 1985, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 catches Max newly integrated into the group, still guarded, still navigating a difficult home life and confronting supernatural threats alongside friends she has only recently begun to trust.

Max’s voice performance carries real weight in the series. Hoang-Rappaport brings a grounded energy to the role that reflects the character while establishing a distinct take.

Jeremy Jordan as Steve Harrington

Jeremy Jordan, a Tony Award-nominated Broadway performer known for Newsies and Supergirl, voices Steve Harrington, the former high school golden boy whose evolution from antagonist to fan-favorite babysitter is one of the original series’ most celebrated arcs.

Jordan’s casting is one of the more creatively interesting decisions in Stranger Things: Tales From ’85. His vocal presence suits Steve’s blend of bravado and underlying warmth, and his background in musical theater brings an expressiveness that translates well to animation.

Odessa A’zion as Nikki Baxter

Odessa A’zion voices Nikki Baxter, the new character at the center of much of the discussion surrounding Stranger Things: Tales From ’85. Punk-styled, rebellious and immediately distinct from the existing ensemble, Nikki is the series’ most significant expansion of the Stranger Things universe, a character with her own history, her own connection to the supernatural and her own reasons for ending up in Hawkins.

A’zion, known for her work in Hellraiser (2022), brings an edge to the role that fits the character’s design and tone. The series introduces Nikki as a key figure whose story unfolds across the season.

Robert Englund as Cosmo

Robert Englund, best known as Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, voices Cosmo, a new character whose role in Hawkins’ supernatural landscape develops across the season. His casting reflects the series’ continued embrace of 1980s horror influences.

Brett Gipson as Jim Hopper

Brett Gipson voices Jim Hopper, the Hawkins Chief of Police and Eleven’s adoptive father, one of the original series’ most important characters. The 1985 setting places Hopper at a pivotal point in his relationship with Eleven, navigating parenthood while managing the town’s ongoing supernatural complications.

Supporting Voice Cast

The core group of Mike (Luca Diaz), Dustin (Braxton Quinney), Lucas (Elisha “EJ” Williams) and Will (Benjamin Plessala) rounds out the main ensemble. On the adult side, Janeane Garofalo plays Anna Baxter, Lou Diamond Phillips plays Daniel Fischer, Alysia Reiner voices Karen Wheeler and Alessandra Antonelli takes on Nancy Wheeler.

Why the Cast Works

The decision to recast every role with new voice actors was never going to be universally welcomed, and it has not been. But Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 makes a clear case for the approach. Rather than asking the original cast to voice younger versions of themselves, the series commits to a fresh ensemble whose performances align with the characters’ ages in 1985. Standout choices like Jeremy Jordan’s expressive Steve, Robert Englund’s horror-adjacent Cosmo and Odessa A’zion’s sharply defined Nikki give the series its own identity rather than functioning purely as a nostalgia play.

Watch ‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ with DIRECTV

Watch Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 on Netflix through DIRECTV and keep everything in one place. You can add Netflix directly to your DIRECTV account, link an existing subscription or choose a plan that fits your budget, then stream instantly on your TV or any compatible device.

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