Holly Wheeler is the youngest child in the Wheeler family in Stranger Things, the little sister of Nancy and Mike Wheeler.

Character role

Holly is introduced in season 1 as a quiet, very young girl who mostly appears in the background at home with her parents Karen and Ted Wheeler and rarely speaks. She shows early sensitivity to supernatural events, briefly witnessing strange lights and a glimpse of the monster when the Upside Down begins affecting Hawkins.

Family and personality

Within the story, Holly is portrayed as an innocent, well‑behaved, and introverted child who tends to keep to herself and does not understand the full danger surrounding Hawkins. She is loved and protected by her family, with Nancy and Mike largely taking on the main action while Holly remains on the sidelines in the early seasons.

Casting

In the first four seasons, Holly is played by twin sisters Anniston and Tinsley Price, who share the role as young Holly. For season 5, the character is aged up and recast with actress Nell Fisher, reflecting Holly’s larger, more central storyline in the final season.

Expanded role in season 5

Season 5 gives Holly a much bigger part, with the show’s creators describing her as a “centerpiece” character to bring back the feeling of having a true child at the heart of the story. Her arc involves coping with school difficulties and an “imaginary friend” that appears to tie directly into the show’s main villain and the Upside Down, drawing her into the central conflict in Hawkins.