Celebrities live different lives than us. But beyond the luxury cars and designer clothes, they’re not so different after all. Just take the “Stranger Things” cast.
Many of the actors with recurring roles on the hit Netflix series are pet parents just like us. Check out the four-legged lives of these celebrity dogs and cats.
Millie Bobby Brown — Dog, Poodle
Character: Eleven
Pet name: Winnie
Bottom line: Millie Bobby Brown was only 12 when the first season of “Stranger Tings” was released on Netflix in 2016. She stars as Eleven, a child with supernatural powers who escapes an abusive research facility.
She had to shave her head for the role, so it’s safe to say she’s not afraid of commitment. Now a young adult, Millie Bobby Brown treats her beloved dog, Winnie, like a princess.
She even takes her with her on the road. In an interview with Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show,” she described how Winnie brings her comfort wherever she goes.
“I brought her to be something from home because I’m always traveling, so it’s always nice to have something kind of there for me when I’m traveling and on the road,” said Brown. “She came to the ‘Stranger Things’ read-through and she was just like spoiled. So I feel like she has plenty of godmothers and godfathers around her.”
She also owns three other dogs, two cats, two tortoises and a bunny.
Sadie Sink — Dog
Character: Max
Pet name: Kiko
Bottom line: Sadie Sink joined the cast of “Stranger Things” during Season 2, back when she was 15. Now in her early 20s, Sadie is a proud dog mom to a scruffy adopted dog named Kiko.
She’s also a vocal advocate for animal rights, captioning a photo of Kiko, “Kiko was #BornTo play, snuggle and give lots of kisses, not fight. Sunday was National Dogfighting Awareness Day, however we should be aware of the barbaric activity of dog fighting everyday. I’m helping @ASPCA raise awareness about this cruel practice. Visit ASPCA.org/BreakTheChain to take action and help end dogfighting for good! #BreakTheChain”
Noah Schnapp — Two Dogs, Husky and King Charles Spaniel
Character: Will Byers
Pet names: Riley and Spaghetti
Bottom line: Noah Schnapp has been a part of the Stranger Things cast since season one, but it wasn’t until Season 2 that the shy, lightbulb-controlling Will became one of the leads. Currently, Noah has two dogs: a husky named Riley and a King Charles spaniel named Spaghetti.
They’re so cute that both Riley and Spaghetti have their own Instagram accounts, each with over 50,000 followers.
Brett Gelman — Two Dogs
Character: Murray Bauman
Pet names: Toni and Janet
Bottom line: Brett Gelman brings his paranoid character, Murray, to life with his eccentric brand of comedy. He has two dogs, a scruffy one named Janet, and an all-white one with blue eyes named Toni.
He showers both with affection, even shouting them out on Instagram with happy birthday wishes. “Happy birthday to my lil baby. Toni my cherished treasure. The snuggliest snuggle head in the universe. Thank you for all you do for me everyday. For the endless love you give. For being such an inspiring force in my life. For making me laugh non stop. I love you so much. Thank you sharing your life with me lil girl. Happy bday baby,” he said.
How sweet is that?
Natalia Dyer — Dog, King Charles Cocker Spaniel
Character: Nancy Wheeler
Pet name: Ozzy
Bottom line: Natalia Dyer plays the studious and ultra-smart Nancy Wheeler. Her character becomes more rebellious when she begins dating Steve Harrington. Judging by Natalia’s Instagram captions, her dog Ozzy is on the rebellious side, too.
The cute spaniel has destructive tendencies, leading Natalia to say, “He has destroyed half my closet and we still snuggle b/c #truelove.”
He also loves cookies, because who doesn’t?
Eduardo Franco — Dog, Pug
Character: Argyle
Pet name: Babbette
Bottom line: Joining the “Stranger Things” cast in Season 4, Eduardo Franco plays Argyle, a chill pizza delivery boy and the best friend of Jonathan Byers. His real-life dog matches his character’s laidback vibe to a tee.
Her name is Babbette, and she’s a stocky pug who likes to roll in the grass and eat. No specific food preference. She’ll eat anything and have a great time doing so.
Finn Wolfhard — Cat and Dog (Passed)
Character: Mike Wheeler
Pet names: Rosie and Poppy
Bottom line: Playing Mike Wheeler, the compassionate and committed best friend of Will Byers and eventually Eleven’s significant other, Finn Wolfhard is a young Canadian actor who’s not afraid to take risks. He got his first acting job off of Craigslist, and he landed his role as Mike after auditioning virtually while he was home sick in bed.
Throughout his rise to fame, he was kept company by two family pets: a dog named Rosie and a cat named Poppy. Rosie has since passed away, but Finn always missed her while he was off filming.
Winona Ryder — Cat (Passed)
Character: Joyce Byers
Pet name: Bianca
Bottom line: Winona Ryder, long known for playing cute yet edgy characters, plays Joyce Byers, the single mom of Jonathan and Will Byers. She’ll do just about anything to keep her kids safe, and Winona Ryder was just as devoted to her beloved cat, Bianca.
Bianca wan’t around anymore, but she has a fascinating backstory. Winona’s dad took in a stray kitten when he was 11. It grew up and had kittens of its own, including Bianca. Bianca lived until the ripe old age of 21. Strangely, Winona believes she developed. psychosomatic cat allergy after losing her.
David Harbour — Dog
Character: Jim Hopper
Pet name: Gertie Worm
Bottom line: Jim Hopper is the chief of police in Hawkins, Indiana, and David Harbour plays the character as both loving and complex in “Stranger Things.” After Hopper own daughter died of cancer in the series, he does his best to protect Eleven, serving as a surrogate father.
David Harbour is a real-life pet parent, too. His dog, Gertie Worm, occasionally makes an appearance on his Instagram account. Over 200,000 people even watched her chase herself in a mirror.
More “Stranger Things” Stories