Picture Credit: Netflix / Brooklyn Davey Norstedt
For Brooklyn Davey Norstedt, stepping into the recording booth for the Netflix animated series Tales from 85 was the definition of a dream come true. While she has been acting professionally on camera since 2018, Norstedt only discovered the world of voiceover during the 2020 pandemic when she took an online class. That pivot eventually led to her receiving an offer in May of 2023 to voice Eleven, a character she has been a massive fan of since she was eleven years old.
Norstedt’s connection to the franchise is deeply personal. Growing up, she collected show merchandise, pretended to have powers while dressed as Eleven, and even celebrated her 12th birthday with a fully themed Stranger Things party featuring a waffle bar and Joyce’s Christmas light wall. In this interview, the actor opens up about the secretive audition process , her desire to highlight Eleven’s softness and vulnerability , and the refreshing guidance she received from showrunner Eric Robles to simply “be Eleven”.
Note: This is an extended interview following our main story, posted, speaking with more of the cast.
Ryan Gaur: How did you get into voice acting?
Brooklyn Davey Norstedt: Well, I have been acting professionally on camera since 2018, and acting in general since 2015. But I had no idea voiceover was even a possibility for me until 2020. Because of the pandemic, online classes became more prevalent, and there was an opportunity to take an online voiceover class. It looked like a lot of fun, so I started learning and eventually auditioning. I absolutely fell in love with it, because it’s just you alone (usually) in a booth, you get to use your imagination even more than on camera work.
What was the process like to be cast in Tales from 85?
In November of 2022, I got an audition for an untitled Netflix/Flying Bark animated series. All of the characters had codenames, so I had no idea it was for Stranger Things. Even so, I instantly loved my character and really resonated with her. The sides also felt so familiar, which I think speaks to the amazing writers we have on this show. I actually sent in an audition for two female roles, but I got a callback in March of 2023 for what I would find out was Eleven in May of 2023 when Netflix offered me the role of Eleven!
Were you a big fan of the show before being cast?
Yes, I was and still am a HUGE fan. In fact, I have been a SUPERfan of the show since I was eleven years old. I collected a ton of the merch, like Funko Pops, all of the costumes and props, posters, and so much more. Stranger Things actually inspired me to get into the 80s, so my room was all decked out in not only Stranger Things items, but toys from that era. Eleven was always my favorite character, and I would dress up like her and pretend to have powers.
My 12th birthday is a highlight for me, because my family decorated our house like Stranger Things, and all of my friends dressed up in costumes from the show. My dad and I were Eleven and Hopper from season 3. We had a waffle bar, and multiple photo ops, like Joyce’s wall with the Christmas lights. Also, one Halloween I dressed up as Dustin and sang “The Neverending Story” theme song. I have too many experiences to recount them all, because Stranger Things has just been such a big part of my life. It’s so surreal to see the parallels between then and now, not only being a part of this project, but playing Eleven. It’s the definition of a dream come true for me.
Picture: Netflix
What did you see as the core personality traits of Eleven before you started working on the show?
She’s SO strong and persistent; she won’t give up willingly. I was always so inspired by her. She’s curious and determined, and always looking for answers. No matter what, she was going to get them because she wanted to either learn more about her past, or help others.
How did working on the show change your view of Eleven?
The first thing most people think of when they think of Eleven is the fact that she has powers. Learning more about this character outside of her powers has been very special for me. Because I studied her in such a detailed way, I learned so many little things about who she is at her core. Overall, working on the show just deepened my love and appreciation for Eleven.
What’s your favourite thing about your character and why?
My favorite thing about Eleven is how much she cares for others. She has the biggest heart, and she’s willing to risk anything to save not only those she loves, but anyone. And as I mentioned earlier, she won’t give up or cave in. She will keep fighting no matter what.
What did you want to bring to the role that hadn’t been shown in the live action series beforehand?
I don’t think that this was not shown in the live action series beforehand, but I really wanted to bring out that softness and vulnerability to her. Even though she is so strong, she is such a sweetheart at her core. I wanted to really show the happy and excited parts of her. The parts where she is just living a normal life and learning who she is are few and far between, and those are very important to me.
Picture Credit: Netflix
What’s the best piece of advice or direction that the show runners gave you?
Eric Robles, our showrunner, and Meredith Layne, our casting director, made me feel so comfortable while recording, and we always have so much fun! Our communication about the show and the character was always so refreshing and exciting. I think it was the first or second session when Eric told me to just “be Eleven.” And that might sound simple and obvious, but I truly needed those words. This was my first big project, so going into it, of course I was nervous. I wanted to do a good job, and I didn’t want to let anyone down. But Eric telling me that really gave me permission to let go and not worry about any of that. It’s easy to overthink exactly what you’re doing and narrow in on the mechanics of it all. The truth is, and what I learned, is that they don’t need perfection, they need me to truly just be the character.
What is your dream voice acting role?
I really AM currently doing my dream voice acting role now with Eleven, especially because of my history with the show. But looking forward, I would love to be any voice in the Super Mario movies. If they haven’t cast Princess Daisy yet, I’m available (haha)! I would also be absolutely thrilled to work with Eric, Meredith, our amazing writers, pretty much everyone involved with Tales From 85 again. They are not only all so incredibly talented, but just very kind and passionate. On the live action side of things, I would love to be on any project with Millie Bobby Brown’s production company, PCMA Productions. She has been such a role model for me since I was little, and I love the work she does on all fronts. Honestly though, I would love to be a part of any project, because I just love what I do.
