The highly anticipated behind-the-scenes documentary for the final season of Stranger Things has arrived, but fans have been quick to notice a significant omission. Winona Ryder and David Harbour, who play the beloved characters Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper, are absent from the interview lineup.
The Missing Stars of Hawkins
One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 is a two-hour film offering an intimate look at the creation of the show's climactic season. It covers everything from the writers' room and table reads to the start of production and the final wrap. While the documentary features insights from the Duffer brothers, Millie Bobby Brown, Natalia Dyer, and Noah Schnapp, among others, the two leading adult actors are nowhere to be seen in formal interviews.
Director Martina Radwan has now explained the reason for their absence to Variety. She stated plainly that the production team simply could not secure time with the busy actors. "We just didn’t get the time," Radwan said. "They were busy with other projects, and so we didn’t have the time to sit down."
A Scheduling Conflict Behind the Scenes
When asked if the crew managed to grab even a brief moment with Ryder or Harbour between takes, the director confirmed there was no opportunity. "Unfortunately, with David and Winona, we couldn’t find the time. We tried," she added.
The scheduling clash was particularly acute for David Harbour, who was filming Marvel's Thunderbolts concurrently with the production of Stranger Things 5. Despite their absence from the documentary's main interviews, both actors do appear in behind-the-scenes footage filmed on set.
Fans Miss Out on 'Jopper' Insights
For dedicated fans of the show, especially those invested in the romantic journey of 'Jopper' (Joyce and Hopper), the news is disappointing. The documentary offers no joint interview where the actors reflect on their characters' iconic relationship throughout the series.
However, it is worth noting that short separate interviews with both Winona Ryder and David Harbour are available on Netflix's official Tudum website. In those, Ryder has discussed filming the final showdown with Jamie Campbell Bower's Vecna and the experience of watching the young cast grow. Harbour has spoken about filming intense action sequences in the Upside Down with Millie Bobby Brown.
Ultimately, while One Last Adventure provides a comprehensive look at the making of the final season, the missing perspectives of its two veteran stars remain a notable gap, attributed solely to the relentless demands of their filming schedules.
