10 Best Supporting Stars Of ‘Stranger Things’, Ranked

The world of ‘Stranger Things’ works because a wide circle of performers bring the town of Hawkins and the Upside Down to life with careful detail. Beyond the core ensemble, the supporting cast introduces scientists, parents, friends, and outsiders who move the plot forward in specific ways, fill in the history of the program that created Eleven, and connect storylines across Hawkins, California, and Russia. Their characters open doors to key locations, decode signals, manage cover stories, and provide technical skills that the main group needs to keep going.

This countdown highlights performers whose characters change the stakes across seasons through concrete actions on screen. It looks at when they appear, what their characters do, and how those roles plug into events like the lab program in Indiana, the Starcourt investigation, and the hunt for the source of the new threat. It also notes career details that help place each performer in context within television and film.

Gabriella Pizzolo

Gabriella Pizzolo plays Suzie Bingham, introduced as Dustin Henderson’s long distance girlfriend with strong math and computer skills. In the third season of ‘Stranger Things’ she provides a critical numerical value that allows the Hawkins team to access an important door at the Russian facility under Starcourt. In the fourth season she uses a home computer setup in Utah to help the California group track a hidden research site, which lets the friends coordinate their next move from separate states.

Pizzolo began working in theater before television and brings musical training and stage experience to the series. On screen she has appeared in projects for network and streaming television outside ‘Stranger Things’, and she maintains credits in voice and live performance that reflect work in both music and acting.

Eduardo Franco

Eduardo Franco portrays Argyle, the Surfer Boy Pizza employee who becomes the primary driver for the California group. He supplies the outfitted freezer van that the friends convert into a saltwater tank to recreate the conditions Eleven needs for remote viewing. He also helps move the group across multiple locations in Nevada and California while they hide from federal agents, which keeps the search for their friend on track.

Franco has appeared in feature films and series outside ‘Stranger Things’, including the coming of age film ‘Booksmart’. His career includes sketch and commercial work along with studio comedies, which places him in projects produced for both theatrical release and streaming platforms.

Cara Buono

Cara Buono plays Karen Wheeler, who anchors the suburban family setting that frames the actions of Mike and Nancy. Her scenes show how the Hawkins parents monitor curfews, process local news, and respond to unusual events at the pool and the mall. She participates in plotlines that explain how the teenagers move around town and how neighborhood adults interpret what is happening.

Buono’s television career includes significant roles in ‘Mad Men’ and ‘The Sopranos’. She has credits in feature films and independent productions, and she has worked as a writer and director in addition to acting, which places her among performers with creative experience on both sides of the camera.

Tom Wlaschiha

Tom Wlaschiha appears in the fourth season as Dmitri Antonov, the prison guard known as Enzo who becomes a contact for Joyce and Murray. He passes messages, arranges transport in Russia, and cooperates with Jim Hopper during the plan to escape the Kamchatka facility. His actions create the path that leads the group to the Demogorgon pit and the parallel storyline that runs alongside events in Hawkins.

Wlaschiha is a German actor with international credits in film and television. He is known for his role in ‘Game of Thrones’ and has worked in projects produced in Europe and the United States. His training includes voice work in German productions, and he has appeared in stage and screen roles across genres.

Brett Gelman

Brett Gelman joins ‘Stranger Things’ in the second season as Murray Bauman, a former journalist who specializes in pattern hunting and translation. He helps decode intercepted communications tied to Russian activity, prepares cover identities for Joyce and Hopper, and serves as an interpreter during the mission in the fourth season. His character provides the language skills and planning expertise that make several cross border operations possible.

Gelman has worked in television on both comedy and drama series, including a recurring role in ‘Fleabag’. His film credits include studio features and independent releases, and he has a background in theater and sketch performance that informs his timing and delivery in screen roles.

Paul Reiser

Paul Reiser portrays Dr. Sam Owens, the federal official who replaces Dr. Brenner at the Hawkins facility. In the second season he authorizes treatment and testing for Will Byers and supervises containment efforts in the tunnels under the town. In the fourth season he connects with Eleven and facilitates her transfer to a secure site where she can attempt to regain abilities, which sets up the intervention in Hawkins.

Reiser is known for his work in the classic science fiction film ‘Aliens’ and for leading roles in television, including ‘Mad About You’. He has written books on observational topics related to entertainment and family life, and he continues to appear in streaming series and stand up performances alongside film projects.

Sean Astin

Sean Astin plays Bob Newby, who manages the local electronics store and dates Joyce Byers in the second season. He helps interpret the map that Will draws of the tunnels under Hawkins, provides practical guidance on a computer lock at the lab, and assists with an evacuation during a security breach. His actions give the group access to corridors and systems that are necessary to close the gate beneath the town.

Astin’s film career includes major roles in ‘The Lord of the Rings’, ‘Rudy’, and ‘The Goonies’. He has directed short films, performed voice roles for animation, and recorded audiobooks. His credits span studio franchises and independent productions, and he participates in conventions and public events connected to genre storytelling.

Joseph Quinn

Joseph Quinn appears in the fourth season as Eddie Munson, the leader of the Hellfire Club at Hawkins High. He becomes the focus of a local manhunt after a deadly incident, then partners with Dustin and others to enter the Upside Down through a gate inside a trailer home. He plays guitar to draw flying creatures away from his friends, which allows the team to move through the house and strike at the central threat.

Quinn has worked in British television and on the stage, with credits in period dramas and contemporary series. He has since appeared in feature films produced for global release and has taken part in promotional tours and fan events connected to ‘Stranger Things’ and other projects.

Matthew Modine

Matthew Modine portrays Dr. Martin Brenner, the director of the Hawkins program that raised and trained gifted children. In the first season he oversees the pursuit of Eleven after her escape and manages attempts to control the creature that crosses over from the Upside Down. In the fourth season he resumes direct supervision of a laboratory effort to restore Eleven’s abilities through recorded memory sessions and controlled trials.

Modine’s career in film includes leading roles in ‘Full Metal Jacket’ and ‘Birdy’, as well as appearances in large scale studio projects. He has worked as a producer and director, and he participates in film education programs and festivals that support independent cinema.

Jamie Campbell Bower

Jamie Campbell Bower plays Henry Creel, also known as One and later known as Vecna, introduced in the fourth season through laboratory flashbacks and present day attacks. He performs voice and physical work under a full body prosthetic that brings the main antagonist to the screen, and he appears in scenes set in the Hawkins Lab, in family flashbacks, and in the Upside Down. His character connects the origin of the program to the events happening to the kids in Hawkins.

Bower has credits in film and television that include roles in ‘The Twilight Saga’ and the series ‘Camelot’. He also records music and has performed as a vocalist and guitarist. His work in ‘Stranger Things’ combines practical effects with performance that required long sessions in makeup and coordination with visual effects teams during production.

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