Top 10 Craziest Behind the Scenes Stranger Things Stories

#10: The Duffers Pranked Noah Schnapp's Mom

In “Stranger Things” season 1, Hopper suspects the body found in the quarry isn’t Will’s. He breaks into the morgue, cuts the body open and finds it stuffed with cotton. Behind the scenes, that fake body led to one of the creepiest pranks ever pulled on the set. The lifelike dummy of Noah Schnapp looked so realistic that the Duffer Brothers decided to test it out on his mom. They led her into a closet, showed it to her and she was horrified. According to the directors, once the initial shock passed, she even started taking photos with it. Though it ended on a light note, that’s one heavy prank. What parent wants to see their kid’s corpse, even a fake one?

#9: Millie Bobby Brown Actually Floated

In season 1, after Joyce and Nancy ask Eleven to locate Will, the Hawkins gang builds a makeshift deprivation tank in the school gym. The scene remains one of the most visually striking and emotional moments of the whole first season. What’s wild is that the deprivation tank wasn’t CGI—it was actually built for real by the production team. According to the creators, to get that floating effect, all they had to do was follow Mr. Clarke’s instructions. They filled a kiddie pool with over 1,200 pounds of Epsom salt so Millie Bobby Brown could actually float in it. It’s pretty cool how the Duffer Brothers went the extra mile for authenticity, isn’t it?

#8: A 30-Year-Old Woman Played Will’s Dead Body

Who knows why, but the body you see being pulled from the quarry isn’t Noah Schnapp—or even a dummy. It’s actually a 30-year-old woman! You heard that right. According to producer Shawn Levy, the crew first planned to use a lifelike replica of Schnapp but worried it wouldn’t look real. So, they found a stuntwoman willing to brave the freezing 3am water instead. Dressed in Will’s costume and a wig, she made the scene look chillingly real. Maybe the crew didn’t want to risk putting Schnapp through the icy ordeal—or just wanted the most convincing shot possible. Either way, that shocking detail became one of the show’s juiciest behind-the-scenes secrets.

#7: Getting the “Ghostbusters” Costumes Was No Easy Feat

“Ghostbusters” is one of the biggest pop-culture hits of the 1980s, so it’s no surprise that “Stranger Things” included it as a nostalgic nod. In season 2, the boys show up at school dressed as Ghostbusters for Halloween—complete with Ghost Traps and Proton Packs. It’s a fun reference for sure. But getting those costumes wasn’t easy. Before using them, the Duffer Brothers got permission from Sony and Columbia Pictures, Ghostcorp, Ivan Reitman, and Dan Aykroyd. They didn’t just go through standard licensing; they personally reached out to the creators—a true sign of their dedication to making the costumes a perfect love letter to the 1984 classic.

#6: Steve Was Rewritten Because Joe Keery Was So Cool

It may surprise fans to learn that Steve Harrington wasn’t meant to stick around for long. Originally written as the typical high school jerk, Steve evolved into one of “Stranger Things” most beloved characters. This is all thanks to Joe Keery’s unexpected charm and depth. Ross Duffer admitted they loved Keery’s performance and didn’t know what to do with him after his breakup with Nancy. Then came the idea that changed everything: pairing Dustin and Steve. The duo’s heartwarming chemistry gave fans one of the show’s sweetest bromances and redefined Steve’s place in the series. Honestly, we’re grateful for that huge rethink that turned a short-lived character into a lasting favorite.

#5: The Production Team Recreated Starcourt Mall

While Starcourt looks like a lively ‘80s mall on screen, it was meticulously recreated from a real abandoned mall. The production team took over a vacant wing of Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth, Georgia—a site that sat empty for years. Shockingly, just months before filming, a woman’s dead body was found inside one of its units. The team transformed the mall into a full 1980s shopping experience—complete with vintage storefronts like The Gap, Sam Goody, Orange Julius and RadioShack. Even the Scoops Ahoy shop was built from scratch. After months of research and dedication, the set designers eventually made Starcourt feel hauntingly authentic. Thanks to production designer Chris Trujillo and his team, season 3’s nostalgic setting became unforgettable.

#4: A Writer Played the Demodog That Killed Bob

Even though Bob Newby stole our hearts, he didn’t last for long. In season 2, he’s mauled to death by a Demodog after helping the others escape the Hawkins Lab—leading to one of the show’s most heartbreaking deaths. Here’s a twist you probably didn’t know: the “Demodog” that killed Bob wasn’t CGI. It was actually one of the show’s writers, Kate Trefry. To pull off a convincing shot, they needed a real physical struggle, so she jumped in to make the moment as realistic as possible. Later, she was digitally erased and replaced with the Demogorgon. The result of that hard work was a hauntingly effective death for Bob. Trefry managed to chill our bones and also break our hearts.

#3: Maya Hawke & Joe Keery Were Tied for Six Hours

In “Stranger Things” season 3, Steve and Robin are captured by Russian agents and tied up in a dark room beneath the mall. The interrogation scene looks intense on-screen—and it turns out it was one of the toughest sequences for the actors. Joe Keery revealed that he and Maya Hawke were literally tied up for nearly six hours. They chose to stay that way between takes because it took so long to reset the ropes. Keery said it was exhausting and harder than any stunt choreography. For Hawke, it wasn’t much better since she couldn’t even get up to use the bathroom. Still, the two tried to make each other laugh, turning their misery into a memorable chemistry.

#2: Millie Bobby Brown Needed Convincing to Shave Her Head

When filming began for “Stranger Things” season 1, Brown had to shave her head to play the traumatized Eleven. Before it became one of the show’s most iconic looks, she needed some convincing. Her mother wasn’t thrilled about the idea either. To persuade Millie, the Duffer Brothers pulled out a magazine photo of Charlize Theron as Furiosa to prove how badass being bald could be. That was all the encouragement the young star needed to get on with it. Isn’t it fascinating what goes on behind the scenes? Also during filming of season 1, 11-year-old Brown once came to set covered in glitter, which took hours to remove. Working with kids is no easy task—even the very talented ones.

#1: The Show Was Rejected Around 15 to 20 Times

It’s almost unbelievable that our beloved retro-styled sci-fi series was rejected not just by one, but around 15 to 20 networks. Most executives simply didn’t buy into the show’s premise. While some wanted it to focus on adults like Hopper, others wanted a lighter, kid-friendly mystery instead of a dark sci-fi horror. But the Duffer Brothers seemed to not want to compromise on their vision. Luckily, they met Shawn Levy, who believed in their potential and introduced them to Netflix. After one pitch meeting, Netflix was sold—allowing the brothers to write, direct and produce the show. Looking back, it’s wild to think a show that was rejected so many times became one of the biggest in streaming history.

Which behind-the-scenes secret did you find most fascinating? Let us know in the comment section!