One of our favorite new cast additions to the third season of Stranger Things was the character of Robin (Maya Hawke). Steve Harrington’s co-worker at the Scoops Ahoy ice cream shop.
Towards the end of the season, Robin reveals a secret she had been keeping to Steve (Joe Keery). Instead of revealing her crush was Steve Harrington (as he expected), she tells him it was with another girl in class. But according to a report in the Wall Street Journal (via io9), Robin being lesbian was a late addition.
As it turns out, the series creators (the Duffer Brothers) did not have this particular character reveal in mind when they started work on the season.
The audience likely expected that when Robin was introduced, she was meant to get together with Steve as he was now left without a love interest. And how can Steve “the Hair” Harrington be left without a love interest? After Nancy dumped him, Steve was left without a love interest
The actors however, felt like the bond between the characters was more friendly than romantic. So Maya Hawke suggested that she come out as lesbian instead.
“throughout filming, we started to feel like she and [Steve] shouldn’t get together, and that she’s gay. Even when I go back and watch earlier episodes, it just seems like the most obvious decision ever”.
Maya Hawke
