Stranger Things 5 is officially in production, and with all the behind-the-scenes glimpses shared by the cast and crew, it’s that time again when I feel the need to binge this fantastic series once again. If you remember where we left off, the Duffer Brothers wrote Sadie Sink’s character – fan favorite Max Mayfield – into a substantial role for Season 4, and she absolutely stole the show. As the main target of Vecna’s torment, Max was frequently lifted into the air, under a spell from the malevolent entity. You’d think that with all the wild stunts, the Street of Fear Alum would be unimpressed, but the 22-year-old actress is actually very afraid of heights. And that played a role as the stunt came together in wild fashion.
The All Too Well Short Film Star recently took part in a Variety interview where she shared a BTS shot of herself strapped in and floating above the ground. This image (which you can see in the YouTube clip) was taken during a rehearsal for one of the best moments from Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 1. (And it’s also one of the most emotional scenes in the entire series.) You know the scene. It’s the scene where Max gets overtaken by Vecna and then all of a sudden is saved by the song that was everyone’s new obsession and instantly associated with the series: Kate Bush’s iconic “Running Up That Hill.” Aside from listening to the song on repeat, Sadie Sink prepared for the role by practicing her own stunts despite her initial reluctance:
There’s this scene where my character is floating above the ground. We had a bit of a stunt rehearsal for it, so they strapped me in and then just pulled me up in the air. I’m a little bit afraid of heights, so that was a challenge at first, but it ended up being kind of fun.
According to the Dear Zoe Actress, she and the crew practiced the stunt for just one day and expected to shoot the actual scene the next week. But of course, the COVID pandemic came along and caused filming to be halted. So there was a year and a half between the practice stunt and the actual shooting, with the whale graduate expected to understand it immediately without any refresher. And well, she did it, which is incredibly impressive.
I don’t think I need to remind you how impressive Sadie Sink’s acting was. This scene highlighted the importance of friendship, especially in the face of tragedy. It brought out all the emotions in fans and still does. In case you need a refresher, here’s the scene the internet couldn’t get enough of:
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Listen, maybe I’m just obsessed with Sadie Sink, I won’t deny it, but casting her as Max may have been the best creative decision the Duffer Brothers ever made, aside from creating the show in the first place, of course. Even with the way Stranger Things 4 finishedI think her character will still be very important to the main characters’ attempts to free Hawkins, Indiana (and the world) from Vecna and the Upside Down forever. Despite some worrying comments from the DuffersI’m still excited to see how it all turns out and curious to see if Sink will do more tightrope work for the show.
It will be a while before we see the final season of Stranger Thingswhich is expected to be released in 2025, will have a Netflix subscriptionUntil then, I’ll do as Max does and add “Running Up That Hill” back into my daily rotation.
