For eight years, Charlie Heaton was known globally as Jonathan Byers, the loyal and protective older brother from the hit Netflix series Stranger Things. Now, with that chapter closed, he is stepping into a completely different world. Heaton has joined the cast of the HBO financial drama Industry for its fourth season, playing a morally ambiguous journalist. The actor admits the shift has been a major professional change, calling the experience “the opposite of what I’m used to”.
A Drastically Different Role on HBO’s Industry
In Industry, Heaton plays Jim Dycker, a financial journalist on the hunt for a story. The character is a far cry from the heroic Jonathan Byers. In the season four premiere, Jim is shown stalking a potential source, a woman named Haley Clay played by Kiernan Shipka, across London. Their tense interaction escalates from a cat-and-mouse game in a nightclub to a confrontational scene in her apartment.
The show’s creators, Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, were excited by the idea of casting actors like Heaton and Shipka, who are widely recognized for their previous iconic TV roles, in such unexpected parts. Down noted the “meta humor” in seeing these familiar faces in new, hedonistic scenarios.
“These are recognizable people doing pretty unrecognizable things for the people they played before, which is really fun,” said co-showrunner Mickey Down.
Heaton’s entry into the high-stakes, fast-paced world of Industry represents a deliberate step into more adult and complex storytelling after years in a supernatural blockbuster.
How Working on Industry Contrasts with Stranger Things
The difference between the two projects goes far beyond the characters. Heaton has openly discussed the adjustment required when joining the established cast of Industry, contrasting it with his experience on Stranger Things, where the core cast started the journey together as relative unknowns.
On Stranger Things, Heaton grew up with his co-stars, forming a tight-knit “on-screen family” over many seasons. Stepping onto the set of Industry, he was the new member joining a group that had already worked together for three years. He described the cast and crew as “really nice, really welcoming,” which helped ease the transition.
The creative environment also differs. Industry is known for its sharp, dense dialogue and intense focus on the cutthroat world of high finance, requiring a different acting rhythm than the emotional and action-driven storytelling of Stranger Things. Fellow actor Toheeb Jimoh, who also joined the show in a recent season, said the series forces actors to “flex your muscles” and pull from different parts of themselves.
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Leaving Hawkins Behind: The End of Stranger Things
Heaton’s move to Industry follows the emotional conclusion of Stranger Things. The show’s fifth and final season wrapped up the stories of the Hawkins crew in late 2025. For Heaton, saying goodbye was a significant moment. He has reflected on his last day of filming, describing it as something he will “forever remember” for the honesty and deep connections formed on set.
In the finale, his character, Jonathan Byers, finally pursued his long-held dream of moving to New York City to study film at NYU. This ending provided a full-circle moment for a character who was introduced as a passionate photographer, allowing Heaton to leave the role on a note of personal growth.
“I feel it’s like you’re in the eye of the storm still … It’ll take years to process and reflect on it,” Heaton said in a Netflix interview looking back at his time on the series.
What’s Next for Charlie Heaton
Industry is just the beginning of Heaton’s post-Stranger Things career. He has multiple projects lined up for 2026, showcasing his range.
He stars in the indie drama Billy Knight alongside Al Pacino, playing an aspiring filmmaker grappling with his father’s legacy. The film has already won Best Feature at the UK Film Festival and is expected to get wider distribution this year.
Heaton is also set to appear in an untitled Netflix supernatural thriller series starring Josh Hartnett. The six-episode project, which wrapped filming in late 2025, is set in a remote seaside town facing a mysterious threat.
Another film, Twice Over, is listed in his upcoming pipeline, though specific details remain under wraps. This slate of projects indicates a clear direction toward selective, character-driven work in both television and independent film.
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