As the Stranger Things universe continues to captivate audiences worldwide, new faces and performances keep the story feeling fresh and Calista Craig is one of them. In this exclusive written Q&A, Calista Craig opens up about stepping into the world of the hit Netflix series, her experience working within its large ensemble cast, and what portraying her character taught her about her craft.
Beyond Stranger Things, Calista Craig also looks ahead to her upcoming project, The Breadwinner. She teases what audiences can expect, shares behind-the-scenes moments from filming, and discusses how the project fits into her evolving career.
Stranger Things
How would you describe your character’s role in the story without giving too much away?
Mary (Calista Craig) is a girlie-girl in the 80’s. She wants the best for her best friend, Holly (Nell Fisher). In certain situations, her character has to go through many challenges to protect her best friend, even though sometimes it might not seem like that in the show.
The show has such a devoted fanbase. How did stepping into the Stranger Things universe impact your experience as an actor?
It was such an incredible experience, not only with helping develop my acting skills, but life skills as well. I had to take direction, be patient and do scenes in different ways and then do them over and over again. It was also such a great learning experience to see the OGs get into character and do an intense scene.
What have you learned about your own craft from working on a large ensemble series like this one?
I feel like I surprised myself a lot because I have a ton of energy, so it was really challenging for me to go from laughing off camera and having fun to have to get into really intense and emotionally challenging scenes. I also had so much fun and made so many friends in the crew. They work really hard and I learned that they like to make work fun too. We would joke and do dances and then get to work. I realized that my day was long and their day was longer, but no matter what, we all had to give it our all.
Looking back, what do you hope viewers take away from your character’s story within the Stranger Things universe?
I feel at times Mary may have been misunderstood and not liked and looked like the villain, but even though she was being brainwashed, she was a very loyal friend and wanted the best for Holly.
If your character could interact more with any other character on the show, who would you choose and why?
I would choose Robin (Maya Hawke). I feel like Robin is a type of character to always make a plan. Have an idea and lead everyone and she also is really good at giving advice. So I feel that Mary would’ve definitely gotten along with Robin because she’s a good friend to others and always wants to help out the best she can, just like Mary.
After Stranger Things, what kinds of roles or projects are you most excited to explore next?
I’m actively looking for more projects and would love to have a lead role. I’m a girlie-girl so I could see myself in a singing, dancing or highschool type of role. But Stranger Things opened my mind to take on more dramatic or challenging roles roles too. I also wouldn’t be opposed to a Marvel action hero role (hahaha). I’d also love to explore a spin off with the Stranger Things 5 kids cast. We got along so well. (wink wink Duffer brothers)
The Breadwinner
Without giving anything away, is there a scene or moment you’re especially excited for audiences to see?
I don’t think I’m giving too much away since this scene was in the trailer, but I am excited for the audience to see the scene where I am pulling out Nate Bargatze’s nose hairs. It is such a funny scene and one the audience will love!
What’s the funniest moment you’ve had while making this film?
My nose hair waxing scene was the funniest moment for me because it was so fun working with Nate. He is soo funny in person. He is exactly like who he is on stage and on TV. Nate being super funny off camera made the scene even funnier for me while shooting it with him.
How does The Breadwinner fit into your career at this point? Does it feel like a turning point or a continuation?
It seems like both. Even though Stranger Things felt like a movie, was filmed in studios and was shown in theaters, I had never filmed a “movie” before. So this was my first time on an actual movie set and in a completely different role. So I realized that I will probably like all kinds of roles. I also learned that movies don’t take nearly as long as series to film (ha ha ha ha). But I hope to do a lot more movies or TV series in the future.
A big thank you to Calista Craig for the interview. Be sure to follow her on Instagram and TikTok to stay up to date with her latest work.
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