Max-Vecna ​​face-off at Rocks in Dream

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from Season 5, Part 1 of ‘Stranger Things.’

The good news for ‘Stranger Things’ fans upon the release of the first batch of Season 5 episodes: Sadie Sink’s comatose Max Mayfield can still talk, run and even communicate with other characters. The bad news: She’s doing all of that from Vecna’s mind, where she’s been trapped in a 1950s version of Hawkins for over a year, while her physical body is still comatose in the hospital.

Max properly takes on the battle for Hawkins again in episode 4, when they reveals to Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) what she has been up to while her mind was stuck in the dream world of Vecna/Henry Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower). Holly is there now too, and Max is going to do her best to get them out of this place, which Holly refers to as the fictional land of Camazotz from “A Wrinkle in Time.” But that’s easier said than done, considering Max’s previous attempts, which have thus far been thwarted.

Here, Sink explains Max’s storyline in “Stranger Things 5” Part 1, where things go when the remaining episodes drop next month — and why Vecna ​​is so freaked out by those stones.

What was it like filming Max’s current season 5 storyline, which takes place in the mind of Vecna/Henry Creel? Were you initially worried that you wouldn’t have much to do this season because Max was in a coma?

Not nervous, but just curious what they were going to do with Max, given how we left it with her in season 4. But I knew if they kept her around, it was for a reason. They would have just killed her if she was useless. So I knew there was something in store for her. I really enjoyed seeing her in that environment, which is so foreign to anything we’ve seen her in before. And it was definitely like I missed my friends, but it was still a lot of fun getting to work with Nell and Jamie.

So far you spend a lot of time with Nell Fisher, the new actress to play Holly Wheeler, this season, as Holly and Max are both stuck in Vecna’s dream world. Where does that relationship go in the remaining episodes, one of which is even titled “Escape From Camazotz”?

It’s a really interesting dynamic that we’re going to explore a lot this season, and I’m excited for everyone to see it. Nell Fisher is a great young actress, as you’ve seen so far, so I’ve definitely learned a lot from her. And I think her and Max’s dynamic just evolves throughout the rest of the episodes, and they learn from each other. And you’ll see where that is [Camazotz storyline] go. But it really was a heartwarming storyline to be a part of this year.

What was it like filming the scene where Max almost breaks out of her coma while Lucas plays her “Running Up That Hill,” but the tape runs out and she’s still in Vecna’s mind?

In episode 4, that whole series of flashbacks and stuff took the longest to film. Over the year that season 5 lasted, we picked it up constantly. So that sequence wasn’t even finished until our last month of filming, and it was also the first thing I shot of that season. So it was disorienting, that’s what it was.

Are you tired of ‘Running Up That Hill’ at this point?

I’m honestly not. I think that just speaks to the song – that it’s really timeless, and I still haven’t gotten sick of it. It still evokes all the emotions even after listening to it for the millionth time.

You were on Broadway in “John Proctor Is the Villain” while “Stranger Things” prequel “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” was playing at the theater across the street. Did you get a chance to go see the play and see how the details of Vecna/Henry Creel tie into Season 5?

I did. I saw it in London, and then in New York, when I was neighbors with them. But it was cool to see it in London before Season 5 was shot because, as you’ve seen, there are a few little Easter eggs. So it was cool to have that knowledge, and then just really crazy that we were sitting across from each other.

What was it like playing Max in this 50s version of Hawkins? She is currently stuck in the version of Hawkins in Vecna’s mind as she is trapped in her coma dreamwalk and adjusts to that period.

It was really cool. I mean, ‘Stranger Things’ is just so good in the art direction, costumes, hair and makeup. They nailed the ’80s. I mean, I wasn’t alive in the ’80s, but from what I’ve heard, it’s very accurate. And it was cool to see them tackle the ’50s, and I thought they did a great job with that too. I just couldn’t stop thinking about the ties to the piece. I thought that was genius. And that was also the last filming week in which we did that [1950s Hawkins High School] hallway stuff.

What can you say about why Max is suddenly safe from Vecna ​​when she goes into the crack in those rocks? There seems to be something that scares him about the location, and so she’s been able to go in and build her base camp and survive the whole time.

Well, I guess we’ll find out! That will be a big question, but yes, a very important key note this season. Who knows why.

Did you ever fall asleep while filming Max’s coma scenes?

Yes, I did, because we filmed all the coma stuff in one day. So everyone was moving around me like they do in all hospital scenes. And different actors came in and out and talked to me or right in front of me. And I didn’t really have to move. So I fell asleep a few times.

Max’s eyes appear to be healed at this point, at least on the outside. Did you get clarification before filming as to whether she is still blind or can see again while in a coma?

I did get some clarification on that, yes.

This interview has been edited and condensed.