Stranger Things: “I came up with this idea that she’s drinking a lot and often,” Cara Buono on becoming Karen and filming the Season 5 tub scene

Cara Buono has been a part of Stranger Things ever since its inception in 2016, nine and a half years ago. Buono played Mike Wheeler's mother, Karen Wheeler, in the hit Netflix sci-fi series. This season jolts her character in a different direction from the previous seasons as she finally encounters the Demogorgon that attacks her home.

Karen encounters the monster in the second episode of the fifth season, "Chapter Two: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler". However, this attack brings out a different side of Karen, where she bravely tries to defend Holly by stabbing the Demogorgon with her alcohol bottle. Karen and Ted Wheeler are finally aware of the supernatural events in Hawkins for the past four seasons of Stranger Things.

Variety interviewed Buono and asked her what it was like for her character to be kept in the dark for the past four seasons. To this, the actress responded:

"I think in the ’80s, the clueless mom was prevalent, right? And I think that really works for the comedy of Karen, which I loved, playing — that cluelessness. As an actor, I thought, OK, this is really funny, but how do I make this real for myself? And that’s when I came up with this idea that she’s drinking a lot and often, and probably by herself. We don’t see that, but she’s anesthetizing herself, I’d say, in her bedroom, and sneaking the wine. That’s how I justified for myself."

Stranger Things Season 5: The second episode built towards the shocking Karen moment:

Karen meets the supernatural entity in the last act of Stranger Things Season 5's second epsiode, and she instantly made an impression on the fans with her valiant effort. In the earlier scene, Karen and Ted had an argument about Holly's school calling her. An upset Holly heads to her room, but this is where she is attacked by the Demogorgon.

Holly manages to escape from her room and runs to Karen, who doesn't believe her daughter at first. However, she soon realizes that Holly was actually attacked as the Demogorgon walks into the bathroom, but doesn't find Holly or Karen. Meanwhile, the monster viciously attacks Ted and encounters Holly and Karen downstairs. This is where the monster abducts Holly despite Karen's best efforts.

Eleven and Nancy manage to reach home as soon as the Demogorgon walks into the portal. As Nancy calls 911 for her parents, she instructs Eleven to walk into the portal before it closes, which the latter does. In the closing minutes of the episode, Nancy and Mike learn from Karen that Holly's "imaginary friend", Mr. Whatsit's first name is Henry, Vecna's human form.

When the Variety reporter asked Cara Buono what it was like to shoot Stranger Things Season 5 Episode 2, the actress responded:

"I was emotional to read it. Of course, I always wanted Karen to be part of the storyline, and get in there and fight and be part of the action. They really leaned into that mom ferocity — like, this quiet character that we sort of underestimated, and then just giving her this moment of courage. I think the audience is going to be excited, but I don’t think they’re going to be surprised, in the sense that Karen is capable of doing it. I think they’ll say, “Yeah, of course — she’s going to definitely defend her family.”"

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The first volume of Stranger Things' fifth season is currently available on Netflix. The fourth episode's closing minutes set up Will as a key player in the next two volumes of the fifth season.

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