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Stranger Things fans love big monsters and wild action, but sometimes it is the quiet character moments that hit the hardest. Cara Buono, who plays Karen Wheeler in the show, shared a very honest thought about the show. In a recent interview with People Magazine, she revealed the one cast member she truly wished she had more on-screen time with.
The answer is simple and surprising. It is Winona Ryder, who plays Joyce Byers. For Stranger Things lovers, this feels like a missed emotional goldmine.
Why Cara Buono wanted Karen and Joyce together more in Stranger Things
For anyone who has watched Stranger Things from the start, Karen Wheeler and Joyce Byers live in the same town but rarely share space. That is exactly what Cara Buono pointed out while speaking to People Magazine.
Talking about her time on the show, Buono clearly said,
“I would’ve loved more screen time with Joyce.”
She explained that Joyce, played by Winona Ryder, was the one character she always hoped Karen would connect with more.
Cara Buono also went back to a very early Stranger Things moment. She mentioned the season one scene where Karen brings a casserole to Joyce. According to her, that small interaction always felt like the door to something bigger.
Buono said,
“In season 1, when Karen brings the casserole over, and we’re talking, I would’ve loved to have had some more scenes with Winona.”
She then added why this mattered so much to her.
“First, I think she’s a phenomenal actress. And I think for the characters, there could have been some really, really interesting scenes and conversations between them.”
What made this absence stand out even more is that the show rarely shows these two moms talking to another woman. Buono pointed this out clearly. She said that Joyce mostly connects with Hopper and Murray, and added, “That is very ‘80s, though.” In a show full of supernatural flair, Karen and Joyce sharing everyday talk could have grounded Stranger Things in a very real way.
What kind of scenes did Cara Buono imagine for the moms on Stranger Things?
Cara Buono did not just say she wanted more scenes. She described exactly what she imagined for Stranger Things. She explained that when Karen and Joyce do interact, it is mostly about checking if the other has seen their kids. Since Mike and Will are best friends, the connection is always there but never explored deeply.
Buono told People Magazine that she imagined something much more normal and human. Speaking about the show, she said,
“But I would’ve liked to have imagined them, both in the good times and the bad times, just like in a normal day in Hawkins.”
She even gave a clear example of what those talks could look like.
“Maybe some catch up of, ‘Hey, have you known what’s been going on this whole time?’”
She summed it up with a line that many fans instantly connected with. She admitted that,
“A heart to heart would be a really interesting conversation...”
For a show filled with secrets, monsters, and missing kids, a calm talk between two mothers could have added a whole new emotional layer.
Even though she missed that chance, Cara Buono made it clear she was proud of her Stranger Things journey. Talking about the final season, she said she loved how Karen finally stepped into action. She described Karen’s defense of Holly during the Demogorgon attack and said,
“She didn’t hesitate. There wasn’t a flicker of doubt or worry. It was just instantaneous hero, and she took what she had available, and tried to save her daughter.”
For Buono, this was the true payoff of Karen’s long emotional watchfulness.
In the end, Cara Buono’s wish says a lot about Stranger Things. Her desire to share more scenes with Winona Ryder shows how much emotional depth still existed in the story.
A Karen and Joyce bond could have brought quiet strength to the show. Even without it, fans now know what almost was, and that makes rewatching those early moments feel even more special.
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