Hollywood has a dirty history of how it treats child actors, but Finn Wolfhard is not letting the pressure get to him. The ‘Stranger Things‘ star is talking about the show’s early success getting to him in a way he didn’t imagine.
Finn Wolfhard remembers those horrible times when he started having panic attacks. This is the first time he’s talking about it at large, a deeply personal experience that not everyone in the film industry is open about.
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Finn Wolfhard’s Struggle With Fame Led To Panic Attacks
These days, Finn Wolfhard is trying to keep a low profile. He’s living his best life in L. A where he sees friends. He also goes to school in Vancouver whenever his work permits. But it was around the age of 15 or 16 that he started having regular panic attacks.
Finn Wolfhard was only 13 when filming the first season of the Netflix series ‘Stranger Things.’ Irrespective of talent, the crushing weight of expectations is likely to be felt by anyone. The role of Mike Wheeler in the Netflix series ‘Stranger Things‘ brought the young actor global recognition.
The ‘Stranger Things’ actor chose to keep his crippling anxieties at bay, but they only worsened. In a conversation with GQ Magazine, he recalls telling everyone he was fine and didn’t talk about it because “there was no time, or at least we didn’t feel [there was] at the time.”
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How Did Jesse Eisenberg Help Finn Wolfhard Deal With Anxiety?
Finn Wolfhard starred in Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut ‘When You Finish Saving The World.’ In a conversation with his ‘Stranger Things’ co-star Sadie Sink on the A24 podcast, he talked about how Eisenberg helped him deal with nerves while filming.
Finn Wolfhard plays Ziggy, a teenage musician who wows a virtual audience. Outside, he harbors a doomed crush on a politically conscious Lila (Alisha Boe). Finn felt nervous and out of his depth during one of the scenes. Overwhelmed, he asked for a moment with writer-director Jesse Eisenberg.
Jesse Eisenberg, who started in the business as early as Finn, assuaged his actor’s fears. He told the young actor, “Have you met me? Have you seen interviews with me? What are you talking about? I’m the most anxious person on the entire planet.” Eisenberg went on to share the advice he received from director Greg Mottola. Finn Wolfhard is thankful and appreciative of this mentorship.
A word of courage from someone goes a long way. While Finn Wolfhard is not too concerned with staying relevant, he is set to make his directorial debut this year. Outside his work with Netflix, he is teaming up with Billy Bryk for the next part of this career. ‘The Stranger Things‘ actor is directing a comedy-horror film called ‘Hell Of A Summer.’ Finn and Billy wrote the film, which is a slasher set in a camp.
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