Stranger Things : the teenagers were very average looking

I know I'm going to get a lot of hate over this because it truly is an actual comment on the physical appearance of the actors. Obviously if you think of the 80s, there's the meathead, the heart-throb, the heart breaker, and none of hose actor's were those types. I'll just flat out say it; all of these teen actors were very standard looking people. None of them were bop / 17 magazine cover types. I think it's actually pretty cool that they chose to skip that cliche out of all the cliche's in particular. But I wonder why they did it. Any thoughts?

Most high school students don't walk around looking like they just stepped off the set of a Seventeen or Tiger Beat cover shoot. Our population isn't all beauty queens and underwear models. I think they just wanted their characters to be as real as possible, i.e. not the cast of Beverly Hills 90210.

Do you think they preferred "real"-looking actors? Were their casting decisions influenced by budget?

Discuss.

First beauty is in the eye etc. so I'm not saying anything about the relative looks of the cast, teenagers or otherwise.

I get a strong impression they went with actors that got the role and the show, people who weren't the standard Hollywood type star. In fact one of the interviews I saw the production team said that the Duffers had basically said to Carmen Cuba (casting) if they come across an actor acting like you'd see on a standard show then they're out of the running. That was just the acting ability and if they were too schooled in how to act, not really looks. They wanted people who felt like an individual, a real person.

Maybe they did pick people with specific looks but I think it was far more on fitting the role than fitting the look of the role. And boy did it work, added so much more than just having everyone look like they stepped off a catwalk.

The fact that David and Winona dressed themselves down for the role is a refreshing change as well, actually being a normal person rather than a typical star. Representing that character rather than trying to up audience figures by being hot.

It's actually really smart. Nancy imo was the plainest out of all of the teens. But, it really supports that both Jonathan and Steve liked her for her rather than for her looks. All the characters benefit from a choice like that.

In a word: Authenticity. "Average looking" is what people are supposed to look like.

I think it's just how the duffer brothers are, they were average and socially awkward, so they write and create a world in their own way and not how more mainstream would operate

There are many reasons why i like the show and another one to add to that list, is that the cast are very normal looking, not ugly or unattractive but normal and that goes from the kids to the teenagers to the adults

So yeah, i just think it's down to the writers wanting it to be as real as possible and having a cast of models with perfect everything, just wouldn't fit with their vision? i mean that's as good of a guess as i can make

Maybe they wanted to portray a real experience of high rather than the John Hughes experience. I didn't like most John Hughes movies anyway.

You're joking, right?

I don't know. Nancy is now one of my biggest celebrity crushes.Shes beautiful

I figured they thought themselves as the heart-throbs and cool kids cause that's what almost all teenagers think of themselves. They're very narcissistic.

Are you serious?? IMO many teenagers struggle with self-esteem!

While I agree and applaud this on 99% of the cast, the only person who was a distraction for me was Natalia Dyer. Most average everyday people are not so thin that it's startling, not where I'm from at least.

Such a pretty face, and she is so unhealthy looking it took away from the character for me. Took me out of the show almost. I saw pictures of her before this show and she was healthy and glowing. I'm hoping she's not sick. :(

I have a male friend who is super thin and probably would be considered the male version of Natalia

The other day he ate McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and in the evening went to Five Guys, plus he ate snacks in between and this isn't that rare and he generally eats like a pig and yet never puts weight on and truust me when i say, he is quite lazy and doesn't go to the gym or go running or cycling

So people who are really thin do exist and while people on these boards seem to be obsessed with branding Natalia as anorexic or too thin and unnatural, i really don't think either is the case, she is just one of those lucky people with very high metabolism

I suspect it was some very considered casting, sticking shiny Glee/HSM pretty people in just wouldn't have worked for an 1980's show

If you look at the films and shows Stranger Things draws influence from like Goonies or anything by John Hughes, the cast whilst mostly attractive aren't the polished vat-grown specimens of today, and whilst you could argue you can create the look of an era with make-up and wardrobe its heck of a lot easy if the actors at least partway 'fit' what you are aiming at