Hollywood couples usually have the shelf life of an open carton of milk. You see them get together on a film set, do three red carpets, and then "consciously uncouple" before the sequel even hits theaters. But Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer are the weird, lovely exception to that rule.
They've been together for basically a decade. In celebrity years, that's roughly a century.
How Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer actually started
Most people think they started dating when the world first saw Stranger Things in 2016, but the sparks actually flew way before that. It was 2015. They were just two relatively unknown actors sitting in an audition room doing a chemistry read.
Matt Duffer, one of the show's creators, famously told GQ that during that first audition, the connection was so intense it was basically undeniable. "Sparks were flying," he said. You can actually see it if you go back and watch Season 1. There’s this heavy, awkward, teenage tension between Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers that didn't feel like acting. Because, well, it kinda wasn't.
By September 2016, the "soft launching" began. Charlie posted a photo on Instagram from a trip to Menorca with his "amigos," and Natalia was right there in the mix. A few days later, Natalia posted a shot of Charlie covered in birds with a punny caption about his "one man show, Stranger Wings."
They weren't "official" yet, but fans aren't stupid. We knew.
📖 Related: Leonardo DiCaprio Met Gala: What Really Happened with His Secret Debut
The privacy game
For a long time, they were super cagey about the whole thing. They’d show up at LAX together but walk ten feet apart. Charlie later admitted they were just scared. They didn't want to mess up the show’s success or have their personal lives overshadow the work.
Honestly, that was probably a smart move. When they finally did the "red carpet official" thing at the 2017 Fashion Awards in London, they looked like a seasoned couple, not a PR stunt.
Wait, did they break up in 2026?
If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen some frantic "Jancy is over" posts. Let's clear the air.
Nancy and Jonathan broke up in the Stranger Things Season 5 finale. It was a brutal scene in Episode 7, "The Bridge." They basically realized they were heading in different directions—Nancy to Boston and Jonathan to New York to pursue filmmaking. They had this incredibly honest conversation where they admitted they were "suffocating" each other. It was a "un-proposal."
But here’s the thing: Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer are still very much together in real life.
👉 See also: Mia Khalifa New Sex Research: Why Everyone Is Still Obsessed With Her 2014 Career
Charlie actually spoke about this in early January 2026. He mentioned that while saying goodbye to the characters was hard, the real-life relationship he built with Natalia is the thing that stays. He called working with his "best friend" a gift.
- Real-life status: Together (9+ years)
- On-screen status: Broken up (18-month time jump in the finale confirmed they moved on separately)
Why they actually last (when others don't)
Dating a coworker is usually a nightmare. Imagine having a fight about the dishes and then having to go film a romantic scene in a fake woods at 3:00 AM.
Natalia once told Cosmopolitan that the weirdest part of their relationship isn't working together—it’s the public's obsession with it. To them, it feels "very human." They do normal stuff. Charlie recently revealed they like to perform two-hand plays for each other in local parks. He admitted it sounds "super nerdy," but that’s clearly why it works. They have a life that isn't just "being famous."
They also understand the specific anxiety of the industry. Charlie noted in a Wonderland interview that having a partner who understands the "anxiety of not getting a job" is huge.
A timeline of the "Quiet Years"
- 2021-2023: They almost entirely disappeared from the tabloids. They were spotted grabbing cabs in NYC or hitting up Dior parties, but they stopped doing the big "look at us" interviews.
- February 2025: They made a big "return" at the Burberry show in London, looking as synchronized as ever.
- November 2025: They stood side-by-side at the Stranger Things 5 premiere, which basically shut down any remaining breakup rumors.
What's next for the duo?
Now that Stranger Things is officially wrapped and the 18-month epilogue has aired, both actors are looking at a post-Hawkins world.
✨ Don't miss: Is Randy Parton Still Alive? What Really Happened to Dolly’s Brother
Charlie is leaning more into the indie film scene and theater, while Natalia has been picking up more high-fashion projects and psychological thrillers. They aren't tied at the hip professionally, which is probably healthy.
If you're looking to follow their journey, don't expect a lot of "couples goals" TikToks. That’s just not their vibe. They’ll likely keep doing what they’ve done since 2015: show up to a random fashion show in London, look incredibly cool, and then disappear back into their private life in New York or London.
The takeaway for fans: Don't let the Season 5 finale ruin your day. Jonathan and Nancy might have gone their separate ways to find themselves, but Charlie and Natalia seem to have found exactly what they were looking for a decade ago.
Keep an eye on Charlie's upcoming theater work—he’s hinted at wanting to do more live performances, possibly even alongside Natalia again if the right script comes along. For now, they’re just two people who survived the Upside Down and the Hollywood meat grinder together. That’s a win in any universe.