Finn Wolfhard opens up about panic attacks and fears over Stranger Things 5 finale

Finn Wolfhard reveals his struggles with fame, panic attacks, and concerns about Stranger Things 5 ending

Finn Wolfhard is sharing his honest thoughts about growing up in the spotlight and his concerns for Stranger Things 5.

In a new Time magazine interview, the actor reflected on the pressures of fame, panic attacks on set, and fears that the show’s final season could face the same backlash as Game of Thrones.

Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler, said he suffered a panic attack while filming Stranger Things 4. “It was incredible and subconsciously terrifying to be 13 and all of a sudden everyone knows who you are,” he said. The stress of fame, coupled with post-COVID filming and personal struggles, led to an emotional breakdown mid-scene. “Halfway through a scene I started hyperventilating,” he added. His co-stars Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo helped him calm down, reassuring him that they felt similar pressure.

Now 22, Wolfhard admits the cast is nervous about living up to expectations in Stranger Things 5, which premieres November 26. “I think everyone was pretty worried,” he said. “The way that Game of Thrones got torn to shreds in that final season — we hope to not have that happen. But then we read the scripts. We knew it was something special.”

Creators Matt and Ross Duffer told Variety that the show’s ending has been planned for years. “We knew roughly what the end scene was for a long time,” Matt said. “There were things we debated, but the core idea never changed.”

Stranger Things 5 premieres on Netflix November 26, with additional volumes arriving in December.