Netflix’s “Stranger Things” has become a phenomenon in its 10 years and five seasons of existence, and it’s not just due to the show’s story or characters. It’s also thanks to its actors. Some cast members from the “Stranger Things” ensemble were big names before the show started, but most of them became stars during its run, and as their careers continue to grow and flourish, they continue to reveal more depth to their talent. Finn Wolfhard, for example, has released several albums with different bands, and last year he co-wrote, co-directed and even starred in NEON’s “Hell of a Summer.” Elsewhere, Joe Keery has also enjoyed huge success as a musician under the pseudonym Djo, just like Maya Hawke (under her own name).
Turns out that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to “Stranger Things” stars who have musical talent. Sadie Sink, who plays Max Mayfield in the Netflix series, also has a powerfully impressive singing voice. However, unlike her castmates, she has yet to strike out on her own as a recording artist. Instead, she showed off this underrated skill in a more unique way: by starring in an original sci-fi musical film, namely 2025’s “O’Dessa.” This wasn’t the first musical Sink had done, as she appeared in a production of “White Christmas” in Houston and as Annie in “Annie” on Broadway. However, this is the first musical she’s starred in, and it’s a unique film in its own right – one that deserves more attention than it received upon its release.
O’Dessa revives and pays homage to the rock musical film genre
In 2022, Sadie Sink said Variety that she had intentionally downplayed her singing talents, saying that “if the right project came along, maybe I would sing for something”. It seems this project was indeed “O’Dessa”, and one can’t blame Sink for choosing it, given its uniqueness. The film, written and directed by Geremy Jasper, is set in a post-apocalyptic future devastated by a toxic material known as plasma. O’Dessa Gallowey (Sink) is the youngest daughter of a family of musicians known as Ramblers, and she sets off for the metropolis Satylite City to pursue her dreams. Once there, she meets and falls in love with another musician, Euri (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), only for the couple to be besieged by media mogul Plutonovich (Murray Bartlett). He’s a dictator who hosts a reality game competition called “The One”, which is really a thinly veiled facade aimed at keeping the population docile.
As you can see, “O’Dessa” adds many thematic elements and allusions to its genre stew, from comments on competitions, art and the music industry to a loose riff on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. In this way, Jasper has made a film that harks back to the era of landmark rock musicals of the 1970s and ’80s like “The Phantom of the Paradise,” “Tommy” and “The Apple.” While not as edgy or as campy as those films, “O’Dessa” proves to be a great showcase for Sink, who herself sings in the film’s original songs by Jason Binnick. Although the film was unceremoniously dropped from Hulu, it could become a cult favorite given Sink’s involvement. Let’s hope she gets the chance to sing on screen again soon.
