Sink notches a milestone year with ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘Whale’
When Sadie Sink joined the cast of “Stranger Things” in its second season, the then 14-yearold was already a fan of Netflix’s hit show. But with the series turning many of the teen stars into household names overnight, attempting to carve out her own lane wasn’t easy.
“I kind of knew what I was stepping in to, but I didn’t really know until I was in it,” said Sink. “Being the new kid, I think it really gave me a perspective on everything. So, I kind of liked coming in a little bit later, even though I definitely had like the biggest impostor syndrome, like, ever.”
Sink is far from an impostor. Her “Stranger Things” character, Max, was more integral to the storyline last season, and her performance when she freed herself from the evil trance of the monster Vecna while listening to Kate Bush’s “Running Up that Hill” became a huge cultural moment for both the song, which roared back onto the charts, and Sink. The 20-year-old has definitely joined her “Stranger Things” co-stars as a household name in 2022.
The smiley Texan has built an impressive resume first rooted in theater, and now blossoming with “The
Whale,” Darren Aronofsky’s buzzy new film touted as Brendan Fraser’s comeback role as an obese English teacher whose health issues prompt him to reconnect with his estranged daughter, played by Sink.
“This has definitely been a big year just in terms of career milestones,” she said of 2022. “It’s just nice to have these opportunities and to have kind of found acting at a young age and to be able to stick with it.”
Sink said “The Whale” was not only a career opportunity, but an education.
“The whole project as a whole, I think, was a big moment for me, just in terms of becoming fully comfortable in front of a
camera. I think it takes a really long time to do that. And especially for the more vulnerable scenes, you’re on set, the lights and everything … the stakes feel really high,” she said. “Through working on this, I think I really got comfortable with the help of Brendan and Darren. And that was, I think, a really educational experience for me, and I think I carried a lot with me after that on to ‘Stranger Things.’ ”
Sink, who has also become a high fashion front-row regular at top shows such as Chanel and Kate Spade, is preparing herself for the fifth and final season of “Stranger Things,” set to begin production in 2023. She has also wrapped the upcoming Jordan Scott film “Berlin Nobody,” an adaptation of the 2015 novel “Tokyo” by Nicholas Hogg.
She hopes to continue to work with directors who can help grow her craft, saying “The Whale” has influenced how she’ll map out her film future.
“After working on this movie, and it being as fulfilling as it was, it really taught me the importance of just choosing the right projects but really choosing the right filmmakers and the right actors to work with and how big of a role that plays in your overall experience.”
Sink will also keep her eye on February’s Grammys, as Taylor Swift’s
“All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” earned a nod for song of the year, and its short film, starring Sink and Dylan O’Brien, is up for best music video. Sink, who has become friends with the megastar, said Swift has given her advice about navigating fame as a young star — something she knows all too well.
“It comes in a very intense form for her … it’s nice to have someone who can kind of relate to you on that kind of stuff,” said Sink. “It’s a very unique kind of coming-of-age process to be … in the public eye. And growing up, it’s not normal, but something that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”