What’s Next for Max? Sadie Sink Opens Up About ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5: “It Was Pretty Bizarre

As Stranger Things heads into its final season, Sadie Sink opened up about Max’s journey in Season 5 Vol. 1 in a recent interview.

The character nearly died in Season 4 at the hands of Lord Vecna, only to be saved by Eleven. Sink described how challenging it was to play Max in such extreme circumstances.

“For sure, because in past seasons there’s always been something to anchor me to the character, whether it’s the actors I’m with or the environment, or even just the clothes, the bands, the skateboard. But this season, there was nothing. It was clothes that didn’t feel like Max, crazy hair that was grown out and tangled, and dirt all over my face. She’s in a rough, feral state. It was pretty bizarre,” Sink told THR in the interview.

She added that it was a new experience working with a younger actor, saying, “I know how Max responds to Lucas or Mike or Eleven or Will, but to a 12-year-old girl? I didn’t know what that was like.”

Working with newcomer Nell (Holly) helped Sink explore a different side of Max. She explained, “It revealed that Max is a really caring person. She’s a really good friend, and I don’t think she sees Holly as someone who is younger than her. She sees her as an ally and extends that respect. There’s a mutual respect. She knows they have to be on the same team, and she needs something from her. It was cool to see her level with her.”

Sink praised Nell’s performance, saying, “She’s ridiculously smart, not just in her acting choices in life and who she is. She’s got an incredible brain and I learned a lot from her. I found so much joy and freedom and discovery with Nell. It felt like we were on our own little adventure, our own little side quest.”

Being away from the rest of the cast also brought challenges. “Totally. It was difficult, but also cool to watch these first four episodes, which is all I’ve seen, and to see what they’ve been working on because I’m more of a visual person,” Sink said.

She shared a funny example of the surprises the scripts can hold: “For example, Nell and I laugh because when I read in the script that she wears a little action figure around her neck, I thought it was a full-sized G.I. Joe. Then when I saw it on the day and saw its size, I was like, ‘OH. Okay. That makes a lot more sense.’”

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