Recently I got to ask some questions with Braxton Quinney about Stranger Things: Tales From 85
What drew you to acting and what was your big break?
When I was 7 years old, I asked my mom to try out for a community theater show that I had seen advertised around my town. I was cast as a doorknob in Alice and Wonderland Jr. This was my first experience with acting and I fell in love with theater and performing. I have been hooked ever since. I had done a few voiceover projects, but Stranger Things- Tales From 85’ is the biggest thing I have done to date and it has been so fun because I have been working on it for so many years. I had to keep it a secret so I am thrilled to now be able to talk about it.
What was it like transitioning to animation and did you have to prepare differently than with live-action work?
Voice over is such a fun part of acting, but it is definitely different than live action film and tv. The thing I love about voice over and animation is no one cares what you look like. I can go into the voice booth, shut the door and transform into the character I want to be. I can be as goofy and silly as I want. Even though the directors and production staff are on the zoom watching you record, you don’t have cameras in your face. I would go into the voice booth, take my shoes off and really get into character and full body act out all the scenes.
How much time did it take for you to record for the first season?
We started recording the first season around 2023 and it took about 1-2 years with all the edits to complete. My personal voice sessions ranged about 1-2 hours at a time.
Do you record solo or with other members of the cast?
I recorded solo in the booth in my hometown. I was in middle school when I first started recording, so I would check out of school, go record at the studio and be back to school for the last class. The team would often play the other character voices for me to help lead me into lines. It’s crazy because I had heard the character Steve’s voice several times in the booth and was recording against him and his lines, but not knowing who the named character actually was. I saw The Great Gatsby on Broadway last fall and recognized a familiar voice in one of the actors. Fast forward to the media release for Stranger Things- Tales from 85’ and I realized that Jeremy Jordan (who I saw on Broadway in The Great Gatsby) was the voice of Steve! I have always been a huge fan of his, so it was fun to connect that he was Steve.
How has your life and career changed since the debut of the series?
It has been super fun. I have been working on this project since 2023 and was not able to tell anyone about it. It was a relief and great to tell my friends and family what I had been working on in secret for so long. I remember early in 2023, I had to check out of school to go record and a kid at school was trying to get me to say what project I was working on. The kid said- “It can’t be that big of a deal, it’s not like it’s Stranger Things or anything.” It was cool to finally let everyone know, especially my friends at school that it was actually for Stranger Things. I’m still in school so it’s been hard but fun trying to balance school life with my professional career.
What have been the greatest challenges and biggest triumphs for you with the animated series?
The biggest challenge was trying to bring the energy of the live action Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) to the animation world. He is a worldwide success and it seemed like such a big task to live up to the character that everyone already loved. I know Gaten toured the Netflix animation studio and met with the show runner, Eric Robles. One of the most special moments for me was when producers played my voice audio for him and he was so excited and said it sounded just like him and thought I sounded great. To have his support means the world to me.
Will you be attending any conventions this summer?
Yes! I am super excited to announce that I will be in several upcoming conventions over the next few months. I plan to attend Animeverse in Kansas City Aug 1-2, Fan Expo in Dallas Sept 11-13 and Nashville Celebrity Comin Con Oct 9-11.
How do you balance growing your character in the animated series yet staying true to the live-action series timeline?
Stranger Things- Tales From 85’ is such a cool concept because it’s a snapshot into that particular timeframe of the show. It is when the kids were still in middle school and it dives more into their relationships and adventures during that time. I was in middle school when I started recording so I feel like I was able to relate to how these kids would be acting by drawing on my own personal experiences. I did have to do some research on the time period though since there were so many 80’s references to TV shows, songs, etc. I had a good time going back and watching some of the classic 80’s movies and really getting a taste of what the 80’s were like.
What are some of your fondest memories from recording?
To be honest, I loved every minute of it. Eric Robles, the show runner and Meredith Layne, our voice director made each session so much fun. When we first started recording, they did not have the animation up so I had to just imagine what all the monsters would look like. I would swing my arms and legs and act out all the moves while recording. They would be laughing and cheering me on the whole time. We would usually save the monster scenes for last because I was screaming so much I would leave the sessions hoarse. One of my fondest memories was when I was able to record in person in LA with them. For most of the recordings, I was remote and would Zoom, but it was fun to be in the same studio as the team and work with them in person.
What would you like to see for your character in the new season?
Dustin took on a leadership role in season 1 of Tales from 85’ with starting up the HIC and seeking adventures. I hope he continues to be that leader, but I also wish to see more of his softer side. He always has the jokes and one liners, which really draws me to the character, but he has a deeper side too and I hope we see him and his relationships grow more in season 2. And of course, I hope to see them fighting a lot more new monsters!
What else do you have upcoming??
I have had several really cool auditions lately so I’m excited to see where those may land. In the meantime, I am in high school and taking the summer to go on college tours and work on college applications. I am excited to see what the future may hold.
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