You're all caught up on Stranger Things 2, right? We imagine you are, seeing as how something like four million people watched each episode (so far). We also would assume that you've been keeping up with Beyond Stranger Things, the series that features the cast and crew of Stranger Things 2 digging deeper into the behind-the-scenes of the series as well as offering some tidbits about the future of the series. One of those discussions, which is centered around the Stranger Things 2 finale, has the internet up in arms.
For those who are unaware—spoiler alert!—the series ends with a kiss being shared between Lucas and Max at the Hawkins Middle School's Snow Ball. During an episode of Beyond Stranger Things featuring series creators The Duffer Brothers, producer Shawn Levy, and Sadie Sink (who plays Max in the series), it was revealed that their kiss, which was part of a growing romance between the two of them throughout Stranger Things 2, wasn't in the script.
On Beyond Stranger Things, Sink commented on how Ross Duffer told her that the kiss was "all [her] own fault."
"I get there, the first day of Snowball," Sink recalled, "one of you, I think it was you Ross, you say, 'Ooh, Sadie, you ready for the kiss?' I’m like, 'What! No! That’s not in the script...that’s not happening.' So the whole day I was like stressed out, I was like, 'Oh my god, wait, am I gonna have to…' and it didn’t happen that day, but then the second day of Snow Ball."
Duffer responded by saying, "You reacted so strongly to this—I was just joking—and you were so freaked out that I was like, well, I gotta make her do it now…that’s why I’m saying it’s your fault."
Once the internet caught wind of this exchange, people on Twitter expressed anger and frustration over the ordeal.
The director, an adult man, saw that a teen girl was uncomfortable with a situation, which made him MORE EAGER to put her in the situation.
The Stranger Things creators later blamed it ON THE CHILD, saying that they forced her to do it presicely because she didn’t want to.
https://t.co/Q7nua4i6ho via @TeenVogue - disappointing. I was in a similar situation at 16 but the director rightly backed off.
is it just me that got uncomf w/beyond stranger things where they kinda forced the kids to kiss despite the actresses not rly wanting to
In this terrible dark period at least some kids can remain innocent a little bit. I was sure every kid nowadays did stuff way earlier (2/2)
As of now, The Duffer Brothers haven't released a statement on the Beyond Stranger Things discussion, but this is far from the first time the question of the kids on this cast being pushed to grow up faster and/or being looked at in a more sexual way has come up. Model Ali Michael was recently in hot water over sharing a photo of Finn Wolfhard (who plays Mike on Stranger Things) with the caption "not to be weird but hit me up in four years."
this is disgusting, she’s literally 27 and he’s 14 what the fuck pic.twitter.com/apZRunPlIR
Of course, it sounds weird to basically say you're waiting to pounce on a 14-year-old, and while Michael said her joke was "tongue-in-cheek," she got flamed online, forcing her to release an official apology on the ordeal. "It was never my intention (nor has it ever been) to sexualize a minor in any way shape or form," she toldTeen Vogue. "To those I offended or misled, I apologize for a post made in haste and lacking in sensitivity, particularly considering the landscape of the present culture."
Speaking of Wolfhard (who also starred in 2017's horror megahit It), he's also come under fire over a video of him ducking fans who were posted up at his hotel. Shannon Purser, who played Barb in Stranger Things, hopped on Twitter to succinctly come to Wolfhard's defense.
Okay, no. No actor is under any obligation to stop for anyone. Finn is an incredibly kind human. But he's human and he needs breaks too. https://t.co/b4Lfrl1wU3
I experience this on a significantly smaller scale, obviously, but I've had people waiting for me in hotel lobbies, at my airport gate, etc.
And I'm an adult. I can't imagine being inundated with all this attention at his age. It's intimidating.
So, from one big sister to the world, don't you DARE make young actors feel guilty or indebted to you because they couldn't say hi.
They give you their art. They love their fans. Don't take advantage of that. And if you can't handle them needing space, stay away.
Sophie Turner, who has portrayed Sansa Stark on Game Of Thrones since she was 15, also stuck up for Wolfhard, adding some much-needed perspective on his situation.
Damn... seeing fully grown adults wait outside the ‘Stranger Things’ kids’ hotels etc , and then abuse them when they don’t stop for them...
Is super weird A. What adult in their right mind waits for a CHILD outside their hotel and B is then is offended when the CHILD doesn’t stop
It doesn’t matter if they are an actor... they are kids first. Give them the space they need in order to grow without feeling like they owe
Anyone anything for living their childhood dreams
The fact of the matter is, we need to be protecting the Stranger Things kids at all costs.
