From dealing with teenage life to working with a Hollywood icon: Tidbits from Stranger Things season 4 press conference

On your next grocery run, why not take a quick dash to the frozen food section and stock up on some Eggo?

Stranger Things season four is here and some accompanying frozen waffles would probably set the mood right.

For now, help yourself to some juicy tidbits from the Stranger Things press conference that AsiaOne attended earlier in May.

Be warned as there might be spoilers below. 

1. Juggling mystery-solving and typical teenage life

After an almost three-year hiatus, the kids from Hawkins are back and they now have to deal with a monster that's potentially even more terrifying – teenage life.

Gaten Matarazzo, who plays the unapologetic nerd Dustin Henderson, spoke about how their characters deal with being teenagers along with the chaos that happened towards the end of season three.

For the uninitiated, season three ended with a burned-down mall and the Byers family moving out of Hawkins.

In the new season, many of the main characters are navigating life as high school freshmen.

"Obviously, it's a very transitional time for us. Not only are we struggling with dealing with regular things like fitting in in a new social climate, but also trying to cope with everything that has gone on in the past six months," Gaten said.

When pressed about details on Dustin's relationship with his partner Destiny, Gaten chuckled and let off a wry smile.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see when the show comes out. That's teetering along the lines of 'spoiler-ville' and I'm gonna steer clear of that one," the 19-year-old actor said.

Joe Keery, who plays Steve Harrington, was also asked if there'd be developments in his character's love life.

In an attempt to avoid spoilers, Joe stumbled through his response.

"I think the whole arc of the character thus far is that of a teenager sort of slowly developing into a young man, and that part obviously continues in this season," the 30-year-old replied.

Potential easter egg? You decide.

2. Is that Freddy Krueger? 

Those of us from a different generation would immediately recognise Freddy Krueger as the main character in the legendary horror film franchise A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Robert Englund, the actor who played the famed role, makes his debut appearance in Stranger Things season four.

Maya Hawke and Natalie Dyer, who plays Robin Buckey and Nancy Wheeler respectively, revelled in the experience of working with the 74-year-old.

"Man, what a day. I mean, so cool you know. Just kind of watching him do what he does was really kind of incredible, and such a kind person, too," Natalie recalled.

Maya's reaction was equally effusive as she jolted out of her seat and painted a picture of the kind of actor and man Robert is.

"He came in with such integrity, investment and care. He had done such beautiful work on his monologue and I really loved getting to watch him act and it felt like a real inspiration."

3. Calling for help from Netflix friends

"Which character from another Netflix show or movie would you bring in to defeat season four's villain?"

This particular question had the actors putting on their thinking caps as they actively participated, keen to provide suitable (or ridiculously funny) answers.

Joe suggested the duo from the psychological crime series Mindhunter for their ability to track down clues and "figure it all out".

On the other hand, Natalie felt like the Hawkins group could use some help from gang leader Tommy Shelby of the acclaimed British drama Peaky Blinders.

"Is there a good doctor show on Netflix? I think we need a doctor. It'll be great to have some medical support," Maya quipped.

Young Sheldon, the spin-off prequel sitcom to The Big Bang Theory, popped up as an answer, sending giggles throughout the press conference room.

While the main character Sheldon Cooper is a bona fide child prodigy, we're not too sure how well he'd fare in The Upside Down, the darker alternate dimension in Stranger Things.

With the series getting darker and more menacing this season, some help from fellow Netflix characters might not be a bad idea after all.

I mean, surely, stranger things have happened.

Stranger Things season four premieres on Netflix on May 27.

ALSO READ: Bling Empire's Kevin might lose his fancy new apartment if 'this year doesn't go so well'

amierul@asiaone.com