Candace Cameron Bure’s character, Donna, on the Netflix hit show Fuller House may have recently stolen the spotlight as the show’s most memorable mother character to date (dubbed mom-tier by many), but Cara Buono’s Karen Wheeler still holds her own in that role on Stranger Things, as the mother of Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), and baby Holly Wheeler. Here are some things to know about Karen Wheeler. Spoiler alert! Karen Wheeler: Cara Buono as the Mother of Stranger Things
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Description of Karen
Karen is a mother of three, living in Hawkins, Indiana. She has two teenagers, Nancy and Mike, and a toddler named Holly. Her husband died years before. She is wary when her son’s best friend Steve comes over for dinner with his girlfriend, who later reveals herself to be another friend, Barb (who has a crush on Dustin). When Nancy sneaks out to go to party with Steve (who is eventually revealed to be a Hawkins Lab employee), Karen shows anger toward her daughter but ultimately decides not interfere in her life.
Description of Cara
Cara Buono’s Karen Wheeler is a mother of three in Netflix’s hit series, Stranger Things. She is the type of mom who is involved in her kids’ lives but also keeps a comfortable distance. In many ways, she reminds me a lot of my own mother. Like most mothers, Karen worries about her kids and frets over what kind of people they will become, even though she knows that it is impossible to control their futures. She tries to guide them when needed but knows when to let them make their own decisions.
Description of Wheeler Family
The show stars young brothers Will and Jonathan Byers, played by Noah Schnapp and Finn Wolfhard, respectively. Their friend, Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), lives next door to them with his mom, Karen (Cara Buono). The children’s friends include Billy Hargrove (Dacre Montgomery) who is Nancy’s older boyfriend and Steve Harrington (Joe Keery), another love interest for Nancy. All these characters are in addition to Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder), Will’s mother; her brother, Lonnie; Bob Newby; and Sheriff Jim Hopper. Strange things happen to the town including government experiments on small animals and other environmental events.
The Influential Woman
In Stranger Things, Karen Wheeler is a mother with three children, Nancy being her older daughter who is 13-years-old. The show is set in a small town in Indiana in 1983 and revolves around a group of 4 boys (Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will) who discover something dark and dangerous that could threaten their small town. Their only hope lies with a young girl (Nancy) whose friend has mysteriously disappeared. Soon after, she comes face to face with a sinister monster from another dimension that terrorizes her friends and family before seeking refuge at their home.
Characterization in Stranger Things
In series creators’ Matt and Ross Duffer’s words, Nancy is our badass 80s girl. She is really strong and she does what needs to be done. She is used to being a little more responsible for her two brothers than your average teenage girl. One thing Nancy isn’t used to, however, is having a mother who hovers, scolds, and suffocates her with affection.
Does Billy hook up with Mrs Wheeler?
What does one do with a drunken 40-year-old in heat? If you’re Billy, you take her home and shag her silly. Which is what he did. When, oh when will Mrs Wheeler get her own spinoff show? Don’t bother to answer that; we already know it won’t happen, even though Karen Wheeler (Cara Buono) has arguably been a bigger character in Eleven’s life than Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder). That’s what happens when your only child vanishes into thin air and an interloper steps in.
Is Mrs Wheeler the same actress?
If you’re looking for a TV show to binge, look no further than Netflix’s new hit series, Stranger Things. The story centers around four middle school kids — Mike, Lucas, Dustin and Will — whose lives are thrown into chaos when their best friend, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), goes missing. What ensues is equal parts thrilling and terrifying. You see things you shouldn’t and fear for children who can fend for themselves in many ways but rely on adults like our next subject to survive unscathed from danger. This character is Karen Wheeler (Cara Buono), mother of Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Holly.
How old was Cara Buono in Stranger Things?
In 2016, actress Cara Buono was 44 years old when she appeared on Stranger Things. She was playing mother to middle schooler Mike and toddler Holly, so it stands to reason that she could have been anywhere from 37 to 46 while filming. Even though we don’t know her exact age, it’s safe to say that producers cast an older actress for a reason. Karen is a single mother who has had some sort of recent struggle in her life; perhaps she went through a divorce or suffered from depression after having children.
Who is Karen in Stranger Things?
She’s mother to a middle schooler, Mike (Finn Wolfhard), and a toddler, Holly. Without any information from Netflix or Matt and Ross Duffer, it’s hard to say for sure, but based on what we do know about Karen so far, here are a few theories about her character that would make sense.
