Thursday night was the big premiere for the highly anticipated season two of Stranger Things. Most of the show’s stars were there. One exception, though, was Charlie Heaton who plays Jonathon Byers. The thing is, Charlie, who lives in London, was supposed to be there but he was turned around at LAX and sent back to London when some drug-sniffing pups detected cocaine on his possessions. Ah man, Jonathon! This is why we can’t have nice things.
Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton was allegedly caught with cocaine at an airport in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 21, according to multiple reports.
The Sun reports that the 23-year-old actor flew from London to the U.S. for the hit Netflix sci-fi series’ season 2 premiere, which was held in L.A. on Thursday, October 26. He was allegedly caught with the drug by sniffer dogs and denied entry by U.S. border officials.
According to TMZ, Heaton was not arrested, though he was deported back to London.
The Sun reported that the cocaine was found on Charlie’s “personal things.” They are also reporting that the trace bit of powder found was confirmed to be cocaine. However, there wasn’t enough to arrest him, which is why he was denied entry but no charges will be filed. Celebrity border drug offenses seem to be trending lately. Recently both Melissa Etheridge and Todd Rundgren were arrested in North Dakota at the Canadian border for marijuana. I was wondering if, because there were no charges, could Charlie have washed his stuff and come back in time for the premiere? It probably would have been dicey at customs and likely the show didn’t want to press surrounding the incident? I’m curious what Charlie’s rumored girlfriend and co-star, Natalie Dryer, thinks of this. Obviously the biggest bummer of this story is that Charlie might be doing coke. Since this is all the information we have, I want to make up some scenario in which this isn’t Charlie’s but I’m sure it is. I don’t get too ruffled by marijuana possession but cocaine? Come on, man – let this be a wake up call. Please.
If you were on any form of social media since Friday, your feed was likely populated by comments about Stranger Things. Most of my Twitter folks seemed generally enthused by the new season and critics generally agree. Vox has their thoughts on the show, both with spoilers and without, if you want to hear them. I am as yet undecided. As I said, I love the cast so I might give season two a shot to watch them but as yet, I haven’t been motivated to go back in. What did you guys think?
A few premiere pics minus Charlie:
WENN Photos
I didn’t realize he was British. Doesn’t he look like the second coming of Eddie Furlong?
YES! I turned to my bf and said: “Doesn’t he look just like Furlong?” Every now and then I saw a bit of RIver Phoenix in him as well.
I totally keep seeing River in him!
OMG his agent and manager are SCREAMING at him right now. He could lose his visa. Beyond stupid.
There was some definite filler in Season 2 but overall I was a big fan. It was a lot of fun. I won’t say more though as I’m not sure if we are doing spoilers?
I loved this season, and my partner who has much better taste than I in movies did as well.
That one scene. those two. such chemistry. whew. *fans self*
Which scene? Like Mom and Rob Lowe clone, orrr???
Boo Jonathan. Team Steve.
ahahha my partner is Team Steve. I am Team Everyone Makeout. Steve can get in there too.
Rob Lowe clone makes me super uncomfortable because he was SO good in that role. He reminded me of people I knew.
what scene?? jonathan and nancy? they were better together last season
Haha. The clone was so real I hope this guy gets more job opportunities because he is method as all get out.
Loved this season as well, although the last three episodes weren’t my favorite out of the nine.
Yes!! I told Mr. M that the new guy was a young Rob Lowe look alike but all I’ve seen is an story about him looking like Zac Efron?? Um, no.
This is also the only series that Mr. M will actually stay up super late to binge watch with me.
I know right?! That’s the first thing I thought. Cocaine if effed. So addicting, don’t start doing it. But dude, wash your shit, don’t spill coke on yourself, an buy some once you land if you must! Moron.
Yeah there was definitely filler but I still loved it, the last two episodes made up for it all.
I would like to do spoilers but I’d rather hold off until Hecate indicates she’s finished watching. (Now get us season 3 already)
Episode 7 was the worst one. It seemed very off, unlike the others. The episode seemed to take place in modern times, and had a Orphan Black vibe.
Noah Schnapp is the MVP of Season 2. Sean Astin was great too.
Also, Charlie Heaton really looks too old for his character, especially when compared to the others.
Agree. I’ll add David Harbour to the MVP list though. I thought he was marvellous and really made me feel for him.
Agreed. It was very disjointed. I wouldn’t have minded it had that episode been #3 or so.
There were so many standouts this season and all the young actors (talking about MBB and the guys) really stepped up their game significantly. Harbour was amazing as always and Astin was a delight
Winona Ryder was my MVP. She was WORKING that mama bear vibe. She will go to the mat for her kid. I was definitely buying what she was selling.
After just the first couple of episodes I was willing to give Noah my Emmy vote. That kid can emote. A litter further into the season, it was becoming a bit much, but I blame that more on the director than the actor.
I really loved Paul Reiser, too. It was interesting to see the juxtaposition of his character and Matthew Modine’s from season 1.
Overall, just a really great season (aside from all the crap with Billy).
Yep, Winona as mama bear is my favourite. And not just with her own kids, I loved seeing her with Eleven last season because she’s the closest thing that poor child has ever had to a mother figure. I’ll buy a whole lot more of what she’s selling!
Def Noah as MVP, he was really really good. Winona was better this season than last season imo. Wasn’t really into the 11/Hopper scenes even though they are both great actors.
For me the cast was the best part of the show in season 2 which I found less intriguing than season 1. The new girl’s brother and Paul Riser were pretty pointless to me. I liked Bob, but wish there had been a twist to his character.
Episode 7 was boring, badly acted (apart from Millie Bobby Brown) and mostly pointless, I’d rather forget it.
But on a positive note the entire cast is great, I love how Winona and David Harbour basically anchor the thing so the kids have room to play. Winona especially, this is the best performance I’ve seen from her in the last two decades, that Christmas lights scene from Season 1 still makes me tear up.
The kids just make me wish Carmen Cuba (ST casting director) had been around when the Harry Potter movies were being cast, because she’s just that good at finding child actors who are actually great. (I thought of Harry Potter just now because Noah Schnapp looks quite a bit like a bb Daniel Radcliffe in those pictures of him smiling).
I had the same thought Teacakes! The kids are just so much better than the Harry Potter kids, and how different those movies would have been if more care was put into casting.
@Originaltessa – don’t get me wrong, I’m really, really glad about how the Harry Potter kids turned out (especially Daniel) and how much care was taken to protect them – meanwhile the Stranger Things kids are that much closer to Hollywood and that much more exposed, and I am quite frankly worried for them, in particular Millie (stage parents) and Finn (agent turned out to be a paedophile).
But on the talent front there is NO contest, the Stranger Things crew wins by a landslide. I liked the Harry Potter movies as visual companions to the books but I always saw other (better) actors as Harry, Ron and Hermione.
I don’t think Charlie Heaton looks old for his age/character, but then I didn’t know he was British either. I really like his scenes with Will, for what it’s worth, he sells that caring older brother connection really well.
It’s so strange that Milly B. Brown is pushed out so front and center in this photo. It is like the rest of the cast are her background.
It’s weird to me how “mature” they have made Millie… she’s the only one who looks like she’s been coached on how to pose. She’s wearing a leather dress. In the up close photos of her face, my bf thought she was in her 20s! I’m worried she’s the product of overzealous parents, a la Lohan and Culkin.
Side note: the actress who played Kali, Linnea Berthelsen, IS STUNNING. I cannot get over how gorgeous she is and I loved her styling in the show.
Lainey has had plenty of articles about MBB and how she’s the “breadwinner” for her family and the kind of pressure that goes with that.
She also had a pretty good podcast about “stage parents” and child actors in general.
MBB’s entire family moved from England and there is a lot at stake here.
I think they’re trying to make sure she is not just “stuck” as Eleven.
It was her breakout role but sometimes it can be tricky to branch out.
Her management team may be trying to distance her from the others as much as possible so that she doesn’t disappear in the group of the “Stranger Things kids”.
I hope to god Millie makes it through to adulthood ok, the track record on child stars who have had to support their families financially isn’t exactly great (best case scenario I can think of is Kirsten Dunst, and everyone knows Kiki had serious struggles in her twenties).
I agree that Linnea Berthelsen is very striking, but unfortunately she’s not a very good actress, and is probably a big part of why people are so down on episode 7 – it always felt like she was posturing even when she was supposed to be sincere. Maybe it would be no big deal in a CW show but when set against an actually fantastic cast, the weird acting was just really apparent, she and her crew didn’t come off like actual people at all.
I bet that’s how she likes it. She’s being managed very heavily and clearly wants to be a big star.
Season 2 is fantastic!!!! I’m trying to stagger how I watch it, so I don’t go through it as fast as season 1. So I can savor it. It’s good. So good.
The character development of some of the cast has surprised me. In the best possible way.
<3
YES! I absolutely adore this show. I have to say, Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin have incredible comedic timing–they are by far my favorite parts of the show. All the kids are great, but those two are excellent in my opinion. The cast and the writing are fantastic.
I was actually supposed to wait to watch the series with a group of friends but I snuck in the first episode and ended up spending my weekend binging the entire thing. It’s SO good.
Dustin aka Gaten Matarazzo is by far my favorite character. The scenes with him and Steve were pure gold.
He always looks half dead to me, so hardly shocking he’s not living a squeaky clean life. Hope he’s not exposing the little kids to this crap. They seem so innocent still.
Liked the new season up until it sort of fell apart at the end for me. Won’t spoil anything. Everyone should just watch.
He gave off the look, honestly.
both him and girlfriend look strung out.
Agree on them looking strung out. I told my husband during the first season she looks not just thin but sickly or drugged out thin, wouldn’t surprise me if both are doing Coke.
Yeah, I’m not at all surprised. I know characters are not real life, but #TEAMSTEVE fo eva.
I was texting my friend while watching, and she said she was more Jancy than Stancy, which of course made me lose it, and I was left explaining Team Jancy v Team Stancy to my husband. I’m Team Steve personally. I don’t particularly care for Nancy. But I LOVE Steve.
MTE lol
put some more sweat on him and Kate Moss will date him.
He also has a “love child” LOL. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5030207/Stranger-Things-star-Charlie-Heaton-secret-love-child.html
AKA “a child.”
this is the most silly article ever. i’m not even much in this fandom and i def knew he had a child, so not much of a secret lol
I loved it!!
I agree about Noah Schnapp. He was RIDICULOUSLY good!
I also didn’t care much for episode seven.
I think it might be to open possibilities for season 3.
I also LOVED Joe Kerry’s interaction with the kids (trying to keep it spoiler free guys! Hope I succeeded!)
All in all I’d say go for it if you loved season 1!
You took the words right out of my mouth: Noah Schnapp was ridiculously good.
Season two is sooo good! Noah (who plays Will) is fantastic! I’m glad we get to see more of his acting this season. I’m so impressed with these kids. The character development for a handful of the cast was really well done. Also Charlie being on coke is not surprising. He looks worn out, even on the show, which is problematic since he’s supposed to be 17/18(?). He just looks so much older than the other actors.
I didn’t know the coke rumors (obv), and I kind of thought his worn out look kind of worked for the role. I mean in season 1, he’s the oldest son, father abandons them, and mom has a low income job, so he bears the burden of helping support their family. Then his little brother just disappears. Then in season 2 he’s still harboring the stress and worry over his brother.
Yeah that’s how I saw it too. It makes a lot of sense that Jonathan looks that way, character-wise. Also he really doesn’t look older than Nancy (I think the age gap between the actors is what, two years?).
I don’t get what he thought was gonna happen? Like why bring it? He can get more when he gets there it is LA after all. Idek. Honestly though I don’t think this revelation will do much to hurt anything with work or his fans especially if he “promises” to change. I hope for his sake he does though coke is no joke 😢
My understanding is that he didn’t have any but there were traces that the dogs found (like in the luggage or on his clothes).
I agree with you though that I don’t think it’s going to hurt his career but I really hope he doesn’t become another Hollywood cliché…
i liked the new season overall, but some stuff was very fanservicy.
I am pretty meh on the series as a whole.
I appreciate the nod and it is fun for a bit to acknowledge and remember the movies they pulled all of their plot points from, but as a whole, I found it boring
I agree with you. Everyone was so into it with season one so I tried watching it but I could not get into it. I just didn’t understand the appeal. The kid actors are adorable but not enough to keep my attention.
My husband loves it and had me watch a scene from season two last night. The whole time I watched it I couldn’t stop thinking how cheesy it was. Not terrible, just cheesy.
I liked a lot of the actors in season 2 but I was kinda meh on the season itself, just not as hooked and as menacing as season 1 That is,most of the acting is good as people have been mentioning but imo the plot was …I just couldn’t buy into a lot of it. And some of the character development or actions I just couldn’t buy eithe. Loved Harbour, Aston, and the boys, even Steve and the new girl Max.
Ugh, man. I hope he gets help, assuming he has an addiction problem. I really enjoy this whole cast almost the same way I enjoy GoT’s cast. I do worry about the children, but something tells me that having people like Winona around will be good for them.
Steve, Dustin and will were great this season. Steve is better with the kids than with Nancy
Steve has great chemistry with the kids, great decision to have kept him on in season 2. In the beginning his character was written as a small part.
Nathalie looks pretty upset in that cast photo.
Dryer is so cute! She has a great presence on screen. It would be a shame if they’ve got coke habits so young. They’re going to blow their careers. That was a pun, but seriously, someone needs to impress upon them that coke is a helluva drug.
* It’s Natalia Dyer not Natalie (or Nathalie) Dryer.
He’ll be fine. Even if he loses he visa, he’ll still get plenty of work in Europe. Coke problems don’t cause such faux upset here.
I mean … if you’re doing coke on a plane/regularly that’s an issue. But I’m not getting all pearl clutchy over a young person doing some cocaine.
Agreed. One thing I was shocked to learn as I got older is that it seems like everyone does or has tried coke. Its honestly not a big deal either unless you let it get out of control.
I do think that it’s b.s. that he was sent home even tho he wasn’t in possession of it. What’s to say that the dogs were wrong/he happened to be around it before he left but didn’t consume any? They should only have deported him if he had it on him.
Hecate, if you were into Stranger Things, trust me, Season 2 is worth the wait – let’s admit it, we’re into this show for the characters and for those kids, and the kids are absolutely phenomenal, especially Noah Schnapp. All of them get their time to shine, Millie Bobby Brown is great as always (even better, if anything) and there’s a moment at the end of one of the last episodes with Finn Wolfhard that I really did not know whether I should replay it ten times or look away, because it’s almost terrifying to see that kind of raw emotion on a child’s face.
Also episode 7 is a drag and a momentum break, so I’d say find a recap and go from episode 6 straight to 8 but then you’d be missing out on Eleven, so….. basically, all I’m saying is you absolutely should watch it, don’t deprive yourself!
I thought he was in his 30s and he’s 23!!! Drugs age you badly!!
Natalia Dyer