Maya Hawke’s casting as Robin Buckley came with an obvious question attached before she’d even read a line: would the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke really have to fight for a role the same way everyone else did? According to Hawke’s own account, the answer was yes — and joining an already beloved, established ensemble came with its own separate set of nerves that had nothing to do with her family name.
Table of Contents
- How Maya Hawke’s casting process actually worked
- Why joining an established cast felt daunting
- What made Robin Buckley an immediate breakout
- The family connection that followed her into season 5
- Frequently asked questions about Maya Hawke’s casting
How Maya Hawke’s casting process actually worked
Maya Hawke’s casting for Robin Buckley began the same way most actors’ auditions do: with a meeting and a script. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2019, Hawke described being a genuine fan of the show before ever auditioning for it. “I totally auditioned,” she said. “Basically, I was a fan of the show. I’d seen both seasons. I watched them with my mom and brother and my family, like a really fun enjoyable scary thing for the whole family to gather around and scream together.”
From there, Hawke met with casting director Carmen Cuba, the same casting director responsible for discovering Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, and much of the show’s original young ensemble. According to the Stranger Things Fandom wiki, Hawke auditioned for the role of Robin alongside another actress, Nicole Coughlin, in 2019, with Hawke ultimately winning the part.
Why joining an established cast felt daunting
Maya Hawke’s casting placed her in an unusual position compared to the actors who’d been with Stranger Things since its first season. By the time Robin Buckley was introduced in season 3, the show’s original cast had already spent two full seasons building their on-screen chemistry and off-screen friendships, and had become genuine global stars in the process. Joining that dynamic as an entirely new character, tvinsider has noted, came “loaded with high expectations” for a young actress stepping into her breakout role.
That pressure existed on top of the inevitable comparisons tied to Hawke’s family background. Born in New York City to Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, who met on the set of Gattaca and divorced when Maya was five, Hawke has been open in interviews about not shying away from her background. “I’m not interested in hiding from the fact my parents are actors,” she told British Vogue, a stance that let her address the “nepo baby” conversation directly rather than avoid it.
“I had a general meeting with the casting director, Carmen Cuba, who I just love,” Hawke has said of the process that led to her landing the role.
What made Robin Buckley an immediate breakout
Maya Hawke’s casting paid off almost immediately once season 3 premiered. Robin Buckley, introduced as a sarcastic, quick-witted coworker to Steve Harrington at Scoops Ahoy, was praised by critics and fans alike for both Hawke’s performance and the character’s writing — reception strong enough that TV Insider has directly credited the role as Hawke’s career breakthrough. The character’s arc expanded considerably from there, eventually revealing her sexuality in one of the show’s most acclaimed scenes and giving Hawke a growing presence across seasons 4 and 5.
Hawke has continued to build on that momentum well beyond Stranger Things, with roles in projects including Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Little Women, Asteroid City, and Maestro, along with voice work as Anxiety in Pixar’s Inside Out 2 — a résumé that’s grown steadily alongside her ongoing role as Robin.
The family connection that followed her into season 5
Maya Hawke’s casting eventually brought an unexpected family tie directly into the show itself. Her younger brother, Levon Roan Thurman-Hawke, joined the Stranger Things cast for its fifth and final season, marking the first time the siblings appeared together in the same production. That casting decision meant Hawke’s own family history — the very thing she’d been candid about navigating when she first joined the show in 2019 — became part of the series’ story in its final chapter, six years after her own audition alongside Nicole Coughlin first won her the role.
For more on the character Hawke’s audition ultimately brought to life, Read more: Robin Buckley’s Coming Out covers her defining season 3 scene and its lasting impact. And for the friendship that gave Robin’s introduction its comedic foundation, Read more: Scoops Ahoy breaks down the ice cream parlor where she and Steve first worked together.
Tales From The Collection’s full breakdown of Hawke’s early career and casting goes deeper into her path to Stranger Things, and it’s worth reading in full here.
Stranger Things 5 | Official Trailer | Netflix
Frequently asked questions about Maya Hawke’s casting
Did Maya Hawke have to audition for Stranger Things despite her famous parents? Yes. Maya Hawke has said she went through a genuine audition process for Robin Buckley, meeting with casting director Carmen Cuba the same way other actors did.
Who are Maya Hawke’s parents? Maya Hawke is the daughter of actors Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, who met on the set of Gattaca in 1997 and divorced in 2005.
Which season did Maya Hawke join Stranger Things? Maya Hawke joined Stranger Things in season 3 as Robin Buckley, and has continued in the role through seasons 4 and 5.
Did anyone else audition for Maya Hawke’s role in Stranger Things? Yes. According to the Stranger Things Fandom wiki, Hawke auditioned for the role of Robin Buckley alongside actress Nicole Coughlin in 2019.
Does Maya Hawke have a family member in Stranger Things season 5? Yes. Her younger brother, Levon Roan Thurman-Hawke, joined the cast of Stranger Things for its fifth and final season.
