CHATTANOOGA, Tenn — The world of Stranger Things has officially come to a close, and a piece of Chattanooga is part of that final chapter.
Netflix recently released the fifth and final season of the hit series, which first premiered in 2016 and holds a 90 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Among the familiar faces in the closing season is 11 year old Chattanooga native Luke Kokotek.
Kokotek appears in the opening minutes of the final season, playing a younger version of Will Byers in a flashback scene. The role connects directly to actor Noah Schnapp, who has portrayed Will throughout the series.
Luke told News Channel 9 that watching the first season of Stranger Things years ago helped spark his interest in acting.
My whole family started acting because we watched Stranger Things and thought it would be so cool to be on it,” Luke said. “Now I am on it.
To prepare for the role, Luke worked closely with Schnapp on set, studying his movements, expressions and emotional reactions to match the character fans know so well.
“He was always right there if I needed him,” Luke said. “I could see how he did everything, how wide his eyes would get and how he reacted. He even showed me pictures on his phone to help me imagine what I was running from.”
Luke said Schnapp and the rest of the cast made the experience memorable.
“Everybody was so nice,” he said. “This was for sure the nicest cast ever.”
That experience extended beyond filming. Luke walked the red carpet at the season premiere in Los Angeles, held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, and took part in national media interviews.
“It still does not feel real,” he said. “Going to the premiere was so fun. Getting interviewed by People magazine and meeting everyone, it was crazy.”
Despite only filming for about two weeks, Luke said leaving the set was emotional.
“I was crying when it ended,” he said. “I cannot imagine how it felt for them after filming for 10 years.”
Luke has stayed in touch with several cast members, including Schnapp, and said the friendships made on set are something he will always value.
As for what is next, Luke is already moving forward. He recently wrapped filming on a movie where he plays the lead and even learned an entirely new fictional language for the role.
“It was exhausting, but it was really fun,” he said.
For now, Chattanooga can celebrate seeing one of its own appear in one of the most successful television series of the past decade.
Stranger Things season five is streaming now on Netflix.
