If there’s one thing you should know about Sadie Sink, it’s that you don’t really know her at all.
“There’s a lot more to me than what people think,” the 20-year-old reveals from her family home in New Jersey, USA. “We’re in this weird day and age where you feel like you know celebrities or actors, but you really have no idea who they are.”
So who is the elusive star behind Netflix’s hit sci-fi series Stranger Things? Well, she’s a bit of all of us.
“I don’t really like leaving the house,” she says.
“Right now, I’m rewatching Grey’s Anatomy; it’s taking up a lot of my time.”
Capturing the complexities of young female characters is a conscious decision for Sink, who’s best known for her breakout role in the sci-fi series as the quick-witted, dynamic teen Max Mayfield.
“I grew up on Disney Channel shows [where] every girl was pretty much the same, so it’s nice to enter this new wave of feminism where you can express your femininity in different ways and have choice.”
Last year, the actor had new (giant) shoes to fill, playing a young version of Taylor Swift in All Too Well: The Short Film.
“It’s just not something I ever imagined happening, or our paths crossing at all, let alone in that way,” Sink says.
“It was an absolute dream from start to finish. I didn’t believe it was happening until it was really happening.”
On set she took the opportunity to ask one of the world’s most famous women her advice on dealing with public perception.
“[Taylor’s] been through a lot, she’s seen it all, especially growing up in the public eye. She gave me a lot of sage advice about navigating friends and [the industry].”
As for what the actor is interested in pursuing now, Sink says her aim is to champion “as many different girls with different personalities and interests out there… on our screens”. Sadie Sink, you’re well on your way.
Stranger Things season 4 is streaming on Netflix from May 27.
