The strict set of rules 'Stranger Things' actors must follow
Whoever thinks the success of 'Stranger Things' is a coincidence, mere luck, or some kind of witchcraft, is completely wrong. The work and attention to the most unthinkable details in the show are unmatched.
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An example of that is the strict set of rules that the actors must follow while shooting 'Stranger Things'. The website 'Collider' has made a compilation of some of this surprising list of rules, so let's take a look.
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The first rule in the 'Stranger Things' code has nothing to do with spoilers. The actors have to go to set each morning with clean faces and no makeup. Characterization and the aesthetic aspect of the series are very important, and the creators of the show, the Duffer Brothers, want to fully recreate the '80s vibe.
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The 'No makeup' rule was established when, one day, one of the protagonists of the show, Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), came to set with her whole face covered in glitter. This delayed the beginning of filming by an hour and, in these huge productions, every delay costs a lot of money…
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The exact same thing happens with hair. The Netflix stars are told not to cut their hair so the makeup and hair crew can easily style it in the '80s fashion.
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This rule especially applies to Joe Keery, whose hair is an iconic part of his character in the show, Steve. So much so, that the Duffer Brothers nicknamed Keery's character 'The Hair.'
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The way people looked or dressed in the '80s was very different from today. The Duffer Brothers make sure that the cast looked as '80s appropriate as possible.
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This rule really affected the actor Dacre Montgomery (Billy) who joined the cast just right after being one of the protagonists of the 'Power Rangers' film. He turned out to be too muscular for this role in 'Stranger Things.' In order to transform his body shape, he had to gain a bit of weight and stop dieting and working out.
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'Stranger Things' doesn't wait for anybody, so when shooting is scheduled, it cannot be changed. If someone has a conflict with it, then it's over for them. It's that simple.
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In fact, Finn Wolfhard (Mike) was about to leave the show due to a scheduling conflict with the filming of 'It.' Luckily, the Pennywise production was delayed by almost a year and the actor was able to participate in both projects.
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It seems obvious, but the cast is reminded that smartphones, getting on social media, or taking pictures are not allowed on set. Any slip-ups can be very revealing about the show's new season.
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Any spoilers or details about an episode or the show can cost Netflix millions of dollars. To avoid that, the screeners - recorded fragments of the episodes that the actors may see - can only be accessed by them with an individual password.
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The images can be traced, so if a cast member decides to share any of them, producers can easily check which password was used to do so.
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Interviews are also a dangerous place for giving away any spoilers, and Netflix knows it. That's why actors are given a list of things they can and cannot share.
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And it's something that has clearly worked for 'Stranger Things' because, after four seasons, the cast has never spilled any spoilers in front of the media.
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The 'Stranger Things' stars have been working together since 2016. Over the course of 6 years of shooting, confrontations between individual cast members or staff may come up. To avoid that as much as possible, nobody is allowed to speak ill of any of their co-workers, neither on set nor in interviews.
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To ensure a natural and good performance, the costume department insists that actors have to be comfortable in their '80s clothes, especially while they are filming their action scenes.
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Joe Keery once complained about their jeans being too tight for certain scenes. The problem was immediately solved, because being uncomfortable whilst trying to kill a Demogorgon is unacceptable.
This is one of the (many) rules that, as we have seen, everyone on the 'Stranger Things' set must follow.
Image: Netflix