‘Stranger Things’ Star Maya Hawke Talks ‘Heartbreaking’ Final Season

As Stranger Things comes ever closer to wrapping production on its final season, star Maya Hawke says the vibe has been somewhat “heartbreaking” among the cast and crew.

Hawke walked the red carpet at the star-studded premiere of her new animated Disney/Pixar movie Inside Out 2 — held at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on Monday — and she spoke with ET’s Denny Directo about shooting the final season of Stranger Things.

“It’s already starting to be heartbreaking, you know? I mean, it’s the end of a really long journey,” Hawke reflected. “Longer for some of my castmates, even, than for me. So it’s really sentimental.”

“But as a late addition cast member, I feel like it’s my job to be here to facilitate their feelings and just be grateful and excited to have been a part of it at all,” Hawke said.

The actress explained how, despite the bittersweetness of the circumstances and tough subject matter of the sci-fi/horror series itself, she loves to be the one to inject joy and levity on set.

“We shoot for a long time, so it’s kind of reinvigorating [to bring] the joy and finding it everyday and making it new,” Hawke shared. “It’s a really fun thing to do.”

While she loves bringing joy to set, Hawke lent her voice to the character Anxiety in Inside Out 2, the long-awaited sequel to the beloved Pixar comedy.

The film — which takes place largely inside the mind and emotion control center of a teenage girl — tells the story of all the complex personified emotions that drive her actions and behaviors.

Amy Poehler reprises her role as Joy — alongside returning voice stars Phyllis Smith as Sadness and Lewis Black as Anger. Meanwhile, Tony Hale takes over the role of Fear from Bill Hader, while Liza Lapira voices Disgust (a role originally played by Mindy Kaling).

The sequel also sees the introduction of some more nuanced emotions, including Hawke’s Anxiety, Ayo Edebiri as Envy, Paul Walter Hauser as Embarrassment and Adèle Exarchopoulos as Ennui.

“I hope [people] feel inspired to confront difficult emotions and situations in your life with bravery and grace,” Hawke shared, when asked what she wants people to take away from the family film, “and knowing that even the emotions that don’t feel as good are still here to help you.”

Inside Out 2 hits theaters June 14.

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