After nearly a decade of Demogorgons, the Upside Down, and supernatural threats in Hawkins, Indiana, Stranger Things is coming to an end. The Netflix phenomenon (read our interview with costar Grace Van Dien) that launched in 2016 has captivated audiences worldwide with its nostalgic ’80s aesthetic and storytelling. As the fifth and final season unfolds on December 25, fans are preparing to say goodbye to the world created by the Duffer Brothers and the characters who’ve become fixtures in pop culture.
Among those characters is Erica Sinclair, Lucas’ sharp-tongued younger sister who wasn’t supposed to be much more than a brief intro to the Sinclair family. But 19-year-old actress Priah Ferguson, who was 9 she first appeared in season two, brought such charisma and comedic timing to the role that the Duffers kept finding ways to write her back in. By season three, Erica had evolved from a supporting character into a series regular.
As Priah prepares to close this chapter, she’s reflecting on how far both she and Erica have come. The final season has given her some of her best moments yet, including a standout scene that’s been all over social media.
I caught up with Priah to talk about her journey from doing local theater in her Atlanta hometown to landing a role on one of the biggest shows on TV.
Erica Sinclair was supposed to be a one-time character. Priah Ferguson’s charisma kept the Duffer Brothers writing her back in. Now as the final season wraps, she’s reflecting on the role that’s defined half her life and made Erica a fan favorite. Photo by Sarah Krick
Gianna Annunzio: How did you end up being part of this huge Stranger Things phenomenon, and the acting world in general?
Priah Ferguson: I started acting when I was 5, but only doing local plays just to see if I liked it. I was already kind of artsy when I was younger. I used to dance and did ballet. I was more of a dancer at first, but then I watched a lot of TV as well and fell in love with great storytelling. That’s when I decided that acting was something I wanted to do.
I told my mom, “This is fun. Can you tell me more about how they get on TV? How are they doing this?” She explained that they were acting. So I took a few acting classes when I was younger and did local plays. From there the acting coaches would tell my parents, “Your daughter is really good. You should explore this more as a career.”
I also had a really big personality as a kid. I would go into grocery stores just talking to everybody, complimenting their nails or their hair, just making simple conversation. So my mom had a sit-down talk with me and she was like, “OK, it’s either ballet or acting, but you can’t do both.” I told her I wanted to do acting because I had fun doing it. Dance was cool, but I could really see myself acting.
From there we took it a little bit more seriously. I went to an acting coach named Jemal McNeil, and he was really big in Atlanta at the time for doing workshops. He was known for working with a lot of great actresses. I think he worked with Taraji P. Henson. I went to some of his workshops to hear his insight, and he told my mom that I had something really special.
From there I got connected to an agency through someone else, and that’s when all the auditions came my way. When I got Stranger Things, I also started working with an LA agency and the rest is history.
Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair and Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair in Stranger Things season 5. Photo courtesy of Netflix
Your character on the show, Erica Sinclair, was introduced as Lucas’ younger sister during a small cameo moment. At what point did you realize this character was becoming something much bigger?
Originally Erica was written as a one-time thing to introduce Lucas’ family in season two. After I was introduced they kept finding ways to write me in, which I thought was pretty cool. I thought, “People get to see me more. This is exciting.”
I didn’t really think about how the fans might react to it, but people ended up liking my character. They thought that she was so funny and the comic relief of the show after season two had dropped.
What really surprised me was when I got brought back as a series regular in season three and saw how much Erica was incorporated into the script. She had the whole “free ice cream for life” thing, went on this crazy journey through the vents, and found out about this supernatural world her brother was involved in.
But even then it was still just fun for me. I also wanted to do great work and execute the character very well. I guess after season three when I saw the fans’ reactions to her scenes, that’s when I was like, “Oh wow, this is something bigger than I had expected.” Going back to school people would say, “Oh, that’s the little girl that’s on TV.” That’s when it really hit me.
She is definitely so spunky and edgy. Do you ever find yourself improvising anything? How much of you ends up shining through that character?
I definitely improvise. In season two when I called out the nerd thing, that was improv. Even the facial expressions Erica makes during scenes that aren’t written in are all me. I have a little sister too, so I know exactly how little sisters act. There’s a certain confidence but also spunkiness and quick-wittedness to them that’s just so funny.
With Stranger Things behind her, Priah Ferguson is stepping into new territory. There’s a Jean-Michel Basquiat biopic with Jeffrey Wright and Kelvin Harrison Jr., and a sci-fi podcast series with the Neese Brothers where she’s taking the lead. Photo by Sarah Krick
I also took a little bit of what my little sister does to me and put that into the character. Erica is a very confident person and I’m a confident person, so I saw a lot of myself in her. I didn’t realize how much the confidence was there and how intelligent she was until the show ended. That’s when I started to see the similarities.
When it comes down to the quick-wittedness and the bluntness, I’m not like that in real life. That’s more my sister. But when it comes down to just commanding the room and filling it up, that is me. I definitely put myself into her when it came down to that.
Do you have any favorite moments from this season?
One of my favorite scenes was definitely the pie scene. That was really fun. In between filming the pie was actually really good. I was seriously eating it a little bit between takes!
Working with the director Frank Darabont was amazing. He’s a very affirming director and he trusts his actors just as the actors trust him and the crew. It was just really great vibes on set that day. I mean, it’s great vibes every day, but particularly that day it was exciting.
That scene really showcased your range in such a short amount of time. Did you have to prepare differently for a scene like that, or did you feel ready to tackle it since you know Erica so well by now?
It was definitely different for Erica to be that vulnerable and show her emotions. Of course it was manipulative, but I definitely had to tap into my vulnerable side, crying and trying to make it look real even though we all know it’s not real. That wasn’t necessarily hard. It was just trying to find a more vulnerable side of Erica and showing her emotions in a way we haven’t seen before.
“One of my favorite scenes was definitely the pie scene,” Priah says. “Working with the director Frank Darabont was amazing. He’s a very affirming director and he trusts his actors just as the actors trust him and the crew.” Photo by Andrew Cooper, courtesy of Netflix
I have to imagine saying goodbye to this show feels really significant. You were one of the youngest in the cast and you literally grew up on set. What has that been like for you?
It’s bittersweet because this show has been a part of my life until adulthood. Even now that I’m older, when I look back at my childhood and tell my stories to people in the future, this show is always going to be a part of it. It’s going to be a part of me growing up as a teenager because it was there through all those stages.
It’s definitely emotional to say goodbye, but I think for me personally, it ended at a pretty cool time. I’m wrapping a nice little bow on my childhood altogether. I have a lot of amazing things to talk about when it comes to my childhood.
Are there specific lessons or skills you’ve picked up along the way?
I would say as you evolve, the character evolves too. You try to find different things to pull out and put into your character, especially each season, because the characters are growing each season and so are you. That’s something that has changed in my acting. I might see something in Erica that I did not see in season three, and then I have to tap into that side more.
I definitely learned more about what happens behind the camera rather than in front of it, too. It piqued my interest in the industry even more, specifically directing, producing, and writing. Learning how all those components come together to tell a story is something that I’ve really taken from this experience. I think more than anything, I want people to trust my work as I move forward.
Priah Ferguson started working on Stranger Things at 9 years old. Now she’s graduating high school and saying goodbye to Erica Sinclair. Photo by Sarah Krick
What’s next for you? Do you have any new projects coming up?
I’m in a movie with Jeffrey Wright and Kelvin Harrison Jr. It’s a biopic about the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat called Samo Lives. That movie was shot in New Jersey. I spent a few weeks out there, so I was kind of bi-coastal. I like getting to explore a different city or a different country when I’m working on a new project. I have the people I’m working with to explore the city with me too. But I’m willing to adapt anywhere.
I’m also leading a podcast series with the Neese Brothers. It’s set in a similar sci-fi world to Stranger Things. The main character discovers her grandfather’s old hard drive and goes on a journey through it, finding out all these different secrets.
As you’re thinking about what comes next, are there specific types of roles you’re drawn to? Anything you’re hoping to explore that you haven’t had the chance to yet?
Playing more of a teenaged role would be fun. But honestly, I don’t have a particular role or genre that I want to play. I am a fan of great writing and great storytelling. It’s one of those things where if I see a script or an audition that comes my way with great writing and storytelling, I’m automatically interested in doing it. Something that speaks to my generation, of course, but not a particular genre or anything as of right now.
I’m not too worried about being typecasted either, only because I know that I have range. I’m confident enough in my work and myself. I’m just down to do any great project in general.
