One of the most surprising moments of Stranger Things’ fifth and final season was the shock return of Kali (AKA Eight), the self-assured elder sister of Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven. Last seen way back in 2017’s season two, Kali’s journey offers one of the most emotional arcs in Netflix’s sci-fi megahit which came to a spectacular conclusion on New Year’s Day.
Danish actor Linnea Berthelsen has been keeping Kali’s comeback secret for more than three years but, with The Demogorgon finally out the bag, she’s now free to tell us all about the character’s fate, her emotional reunion with the defenders of Hawkins and what comes next.
Were you completely shocked when Matt and Ross Duffer contacted you about bringing Kali back?
“Yeah! I was just really surprised to see how they wanted to do it. It’s a very special thing on such a big show to get that sort of closure. They didn’t have to do it, but I’m very grateful they did. I feel like it’s a really big moment.”
Was it strange to reunite with the cast after six years?
“It was just lovely, really. They didn’t know [I was coming back]. The first time they saw me was at the first table read we did in December 2023. I flew in and The Duffers kept me hidden in a room while [the rest of the cast] were reading episodes one, two and three. Then I came in for episode four.”
Was it hard to keep your return a secret?
“It’s been three years since I signed the contract and I wasn’t allowed to say anything. Some of my best friends and my parents knew but the majority of my friends had no idea. Even when I was in Atlanta [shooting], they had no clue what I was doing.”
You had to wear wigs off set to keep everything a surprise, right?
“We didn’t want to give anything away so Netflix and the incredible hair department gave me six different wigs. They weren’t as good as the wigs the cast wore onset because they really were amazing, but they were good enough to fool my friends.”
That brutal head shaving sequence in episode four – was that for real?
“That was definitely my real hair.”
How was that whole experience?
“It was a very beautiful thing. I knew Matt and Ross wanted me to have a shaved head for those scenes, so I suggested doing it on camera. It was actually really helpful because I got to experience that loss of control. I did it with [episode director] Frank Darabont, who’s done The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. He’s a master of those very emotionally intense scenes.”
How was your final day on set?
“My last day was a group scene, so I had Winona Ryder next to me for three hours. It was a very emotional moment, ending everything alongside Millie [Bobby Brown] and Finn [Wolfhard].”
Some fans have speculated that Kali isn’t really dead at the end of season five. What are your thoughts?
“I think she definitely dies… and for a very specific reason. If you’re following Mike’s ‘Believe’ theory, she died to save Eleven. Kali finally trusted that Eleven would be supported and protected by a community. She believed she could live on, which only happened before her final speech. She definitely sacrificed herself.”
How have you found coping with fame?
“I’m quite shy as a person, so I can get a little overwhelmed. But at the end of the day, it’s just extraordinary that this show connected with so many people.”
Before you started Stranger Things, were you a big sci-fi fan?
“The projects that people have seen me in, they’re dramas that just happen to be in a sci-fi universe. But I love Star Wars. I love the references that Matt and Ross have through the series. I grew up with Steven Spielberg and Stephen King but my main thing is comedy. I love Succession, I’m a huge fan of that dry comedy.”
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received while working in TV?
“When I worked with Alex Garland years ago [on Devs], on one of the first days he said: ‘We do two takes, Linnea. We do the real one and then we do the second one for variation.’ So no fuck-ups, basically! And I think that discipline has always just stayed with me.”
Who do you admire that’s working in the industry now?
“I love Cillian Murphy. He’s so amazing. I’m always waiting for something he’s doing. Andrew Garfield, I mean, he’s still young, but the emotional depth and connection is just brilliant. Gary Oldman is somebody I admire. When you look at the greats, there are so many. Andrea Riseborough, the way she’s transforming and doing character work.”
What is next for you?
“I am looking at different projects at the moment, which is really, really nice. I’ve been wanting to do more European-based work and more theatre. I come from the theatre, so I’ve missed that way of working and it’s something I’ve been looking into.”
‘Stranger Things’ is streaming on Netflix now