Who is her endgame? Nancy Wheeler’s (Natalia Dyer) dating life only got more complicated during season 4 Stranger Things — and the cast had their own thoughts about the choice between Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) or Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton).
Newcomer Eduardo Franco, who plays Argyle, exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month, “I want Jonathan to be happy. Who doesn’t? Steve is a ladies’ man. Jonathan has got to be the one who [Nancy chooses],” he joked. “And if Nancy doesn’t [pick him], I got a problem with Nancy. Just kidding.”
Franco’s character played a pivotal role in season 4 as he helped guide Jonathan amid his ups and downs with Nancy. The couple were struggling to get on the same page as they both faced decisions about college and their future together.
As the new villain Vecna started to pose a threat to Hawkins, Indiana, Nancy found herself reconnecting with her ex Steve — which left the door open for a potential romance during part 2 of season 4.
According to Joe Chrest, who plays Ted Wheeler, he has always been Team Steve when it comes to Nancy’s love life. “Joe Keery and I hit it off early on. With our characters, we felt like they were almost the same guy,” Chrest, 56, shared with Us ahead of season 4. “That was Ted back when he was in high school. I am sure that is who I would want — the edgy kids you would rather stay away. Now Steve has an edge so we will see.”
Season 4 star Regina Ting Chen, however, argued that Jonathan was always meant to be with Nancy.
“I would say that I am always rooting for the underdog but actually I don’t even know who the underdog is now,” Chen, 32, who plays Ms. Kelly, explained to Us at the Stranger Things season 4 premiere in New York, noting that Steve may now be the underdog in the love triangle. “It turned! I would say Jonathan because I like going for the nerd. The more awkward they are, the better I can relate to them. So I would pick Jonathan.”
When Stranger Things debuted in 2016, Nancy was casually dating Steve before supernatural forces were unleashed in her hometown. Even though Nancy and Steve ended the season together, her time with Jonathan made her question the relationship.
During season 2, the love triangle got a shakeup when Nancy and Jonathan teamed up again. For Keery, 30, the connection between Nancy and Steve may have shifted but he hoped they would continue to stay in each other’s lives.
“I think everybody sort of still has feelings for that one person in some way or the other. You respect them. You think about them. You think about it fondly or think about it negatively,” he said during an interview with Us in 2017. “I think that Steve and Nancy are the same way. I don’t know really the fate of the relationship, but I think, or at least I hope that people find the humanity in the situation.”
Dyer, 27, for her part, also pointed out that outside forces were affecting the way the characters looked at their personal life. “I think we’re coming into all these characters dealing with the very crazy, supernatural, very quick trauma, and I think, in a way, that it forces you to grow in your relationships, therefore grow and change,” the actress added at the time. “I think that’s what’s going on with the love triangle. They’re just figuring out where they are, and who they are, and what matters and how they relate to each other. So it’s a little messy.”
Season 4 of Stranger Things is now streaming on Netflix.
