"Our favourite nerd": Fans erupt as Finn Wolfhard celebrates 23rd birthday days before Stranger Things season 5 vol. 2's release

Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard drew widespread attention online on December 23 as he celebrated his 23rd birthday. The milestone came just two days ahead of the highly anticipated release of Stranger Things season 5, volume 2, further amplifying the buzz surrounding the actor.

To mark the occasion, pop culture account Pop Base shared a birthday post on X acknowledging Wolfhard’s career and talent. On December 23, 2025, X user Pop Base posted:

“Happy 23rd birthday to the talented Finn Wolfhard.”

The post quickly gained traction, with fans filling the comments section to congratulate Wolfhard and share affectionate messages.

Many praised his on-screen persona and long-standing association with Stranger Things, often referring to him fondly and celebrating the qualities that first made him a fan favorite. One X user even wrote:

“Our favourite nerd”

Beyond birthday wishes, several users reflected on Wolfhard’s accomplishments at a relatively young age. They pointed out that by 23, he had already won several major awards and had made several notable additions to his filmography.

However, not all reactions were celebratory. Some X users argued that Wolfhard’s success stemmed largely from his Stranger Things fame rather than raw talent.

---

Finn Wolfhard teases Mike Wheeler’s bigger role in the final season of Stranger Things

Finn Wolfhard (Image via Getty Images)

As per a December 21 People Magazine report, Finn Wolfhard hinted that his character from Stranger Things, Mike Wheeler, would take on a more active and unexpected role in the fifth and final instalment of the series. He further teased that his usually cerebral character would finally wield a “weapon.”

Wolfhard made the comments during a cast panel at The Paley Museum in New York City on Thursday, December 18. He was joined by co-stars Gaten Matarazzo, Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, and Natalia Dyer, along with series creators Matt and Ross Duffer.

During the discussion, Wolfhard reflected on Mike’s long-standing dynamic with his on-screen older sister Nancy Wheeler, played by Dyer.

He explained that their bond had been foundational to the character from the very beginning of the Stranger Things series, tracing it back to his earliest audition.

“There’s something really special about Mike and Nancy’s relationship. Even going back to the audition of the show, the very first thing that I ever auditioned, like the first scene that I ever auditioned for was Mike talking to Nancy and asking her to keep this secret — basically that I have Eleven,” Finn Wolfhard said (As per People Magazine report)

He went on to explain that this moment helped define the siblings’ connection throughout the series, noting that Nancy had always been instinctively aware of what was happening around her brother.

“And so that’s been in the DNA of the character that, no matter what, Nancy always kind of knows what’s going on. And they’re both kind of the same stand in for each other [in their respective friend groups]. I feel like Nancy is the Mike of her friend group,” he added.

Dyer briefly jumped in to describe the dynamic as having a clear “leader thing,” a comment that prompted Wolfhard to joke about Nancy’s practical skills, and added that she was “way better with a gun.”

That playful exchange led to Wolfhard’s most intriguing tease of the panel, as he revealed that Mike would not remain defenseless in the final season of Stranger Things.

“Hey everybody, watch out! … I have a weapon in this season. That’s all I’ll say,” Finn Wolfhard remarked.

Finn Wolfhard later explained that he and Dyer had actively asked the Duffer Brothers to include more scenes between Mike and Nancy in the show’s closing chapters. He noted that despite being siblings, the two characters had not shared many moments in the early seasons.

---

According to a Deadline report dated November 25, Finn Wolfhard is already looking ahead to his next chapter, with the actor set to star opposite Gabriel LaBelle in the stunt comedy Crash Land following the conclusion of Stranger Things.

On the other hand, three episodes of Volume Two of Stranger Things are scheduled to premiere on December 25, and the series finale on December 31.

Edited by Shayari Roy