Natalia Dyer landed her breakthrough role in 2016 on Stranger Things but acting was not her first love – and she almost never discovered it.
Natalia Dyer shot to global fame portraying Nancy Wheeler on Netflix‘s Stranger Things and like many Hollywood stars, her passion started way back. But a career on the Olympic stage seemed more probable for Dyer, 28, who came from an athletic family.
Stranger Things’ Natalia Dyer literally ‘fell’ into acting
Growing up in Nashville, Dyer followed her older sister to sports camp at eight years old; day one was what you’d call the day that changed her life trajectory – by accident. The Stranger Things star twisted her ankle and unable to compete, was placed into the drama department of the club. Dyer quickly fell in love with acting and her parents were supportive from the start.
The budding actress landed her first role as Scout in To Killing A Mockingbird following the suggestion from a sports club staff – and the rest is history.
“When I think back to it, I didn’t take it so seriously. It was more just something I loved to do and I think that’s why I was always a little hesitant to just completely throw myself into acting, into this world,” she explained to WWD. “Because I was like, ‘I want to keep that for me, and then find something else to do for my living,'” Dyer added.
Despite making her screen acting debut in Hannah Montana: The Movie alongside Miley Cyrus, and attending Nashville School Of Arts, the Based on a True Story star only considered acting as a career path after scoring the role of Nancy Wheeler due to the lack of autonomy and importance of industry networking.
“A lot of times you’re relying on people to greenlight you,” she admitted. “And I think I was scared to put all of my heart into this basket where who knows what’s going to happen with it.”
Stranger Things led to more than just a glittering career
Although the sci-fi series put her on the map, Stranger Things also led to a sweet development in her love life. Enter Charlie Heaton, her on-screen boyfriend and IRL British beau. Sparks were flying between the young actors during the filming of season 1 in 2015, according to co-creator Matt Duffer.
Nancy Wheeler dated Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) in early episodes but fans were rooting for Dyer and Heaton on and off-screen.
Prayers were finally answered in December 2017 as they made their red carpet debut at the Fashion Awards in London, after almost one year of dating speculation.
Four seasons and nearly nine years later, Natalia and Charlie are still going strong.
Related Topics
MORE CELEBRITY STORIES
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmroaSuwaqwwaKrZ5ufonxzfJFtZmlpX2aAcLrArZiloZFisbqx0axkpqGjm7yzwNSnnGavkah6orqMnpyroZViwbi10q1kqJ5dm661sYytn5qsXaGypXnTqGSsrKKWu6ix0WaroaGenMBw