Finn Wolfhard is a Canadian actor and musician best known for his role as Mike Wheeler in the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” which has been airing since 2016.
Early life and Education
Finn Wolfhard was born on December 23, 2002, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and attended Catholic school. His father, Eric Wolfhard, is a researcher specializing in Indigenous land claims, and he has an older brother, Nick Wolfhard, who is also an actor.
Career
In January 2019, Wolfhard starred as “Player” in the Netflix animated series *Carmen Sandiego*, the title character’s main accomplice and friend. That May, he made his modeling debut in Saint Laurent’s Fall/Winter ’19 campaign. He reprised his role as young Richie in flashbacks for the sequel *It Chapter Two* (2019) and co-starred in *The Goldfinch* (2019), directed by John Crowley, where he played Young Boris Pavlikovsky, a Ukrainian student and troublemaker. Despite Crowley initially wanting an authentic Russian actor, Wolfhard’s near-perfect Russian accent in his audition secured him the role. Wolfhard also voiced Pugsley Addams in the animated remake of *The Addams Family*. From 2017 to 2019, he was featured in Variety’s Hollywood Youth Impact Report and was named one of the top 30 stars under 18 by The Hollywood Reporter in 2018 and 2019.
In January 2020, Wolfhard appeared as Miles in the supernatural horror film *The Turning*, an adaptation of Henry James’ novella *The Turn of the Screw*. He also co-starred in the anthology film *Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia* (2020) and starred in the short film *Rules for Werewolves* (2020), directed by Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux, based on Kirk Lynn’s adapted screenplay. He voiced characters in two Adult Swim productions: the animated special *Smiling Friends* and the series *JJ Villard’s Fairy Tales* as Boypunzel, a gender-swapped version of Rapunzel. Wolfhard joined the Jason Reitman–directed comedy miniseries *Home Movie: The Princess Bride*, raising money for World Central Kitchen, and performed a live reading of *The Princess Bride*’s script for a Democratic Party of Wisconsin charity event in September 2020.
At 17, Wolfhard made his directorial debut with the comedy short film *Night Shifts* (2020), which he released on YouTube the following year. He co-starred in the Audible Original *When You Finish Saving the World* (2020), written by Jesse Eisenberg, narrating the character Ziggy Katz. The audiobook was later adapted into a comedy-drama film, released in 2022, with Wolfhard and Julianne Moore starring as mother and son. In July 2020, it was announced that Wolfhard and his brother Nick would headline the voice cast of the sci-fi animated series *NEW-GEN*, portraying twin brothers. He was also included in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 class of 2020 in the field of Hollywood and entertainment.
Wolfhard co-starred with Carrie Coon in Jason Reitman’s *Ghostbusters: Afterlife* (2021), playing the son of Coon’s character. He was cast alongside Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, and Helena Zengel in A24’s fantasy epic *The Legend of Ochi*, directed by Isaiah Saxon. In November 2021, Wolfhard announced he was working on directing a feature-length film, *Hell of a Summer*. He also joined Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion animated musical film *Pinocchio* (2022). In 2023, Wolfhard and his frequent collaborator Billy Bryk released the theatrical feature film *Hell of a Summer*, which they co-directed, co-wrote, and co-starred in. The film debuted at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and was named second runner-up for the People’s Choice Award for Midnight Madness. That same year, he voiced a younger version of the titular character in *Scott Pilgrim Takes Off*, released in November.
As a musician, Wolfhard was the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter for the Vancouver-based rock band Calpurnia until its dissolution in November 2019. Shortly thereafter, Wolfhard formed a new band, The Aubreys, with Calpurnia drummer Malcolm Craig. The Aubreys made their debut on the soundtrack of his film *The Turning* (2020). They released their single “Loved One” on March 10, 2020, followed by their debut EP *Soda & Pie* on March 13, 2020. Their single “Smoke Bomb” was released on August 17, 2020, and their first collaboration single with Lunar Vacation, “No Offerings,” came out on January 12, 2021. The Aubreys’ second single of 2021, “Sand in My Bed,” was released on February 14.
The Aubreys released their single “Karaoke Alone” on September 10, 2021, from their debut studio LP Karaoke Alone, which was released on November 5, 2021.
Personal life
Finn Wolfhard has actively advocated for autism awareness and the welfare of Indigenous children. In May 2017, he hosted “Strange 80s,” a benefit concert aimed at raising funds for Sweet Relief, an organization dedicated to assisting struggling musicians with medical needs. At the event, he performed three tracks with his former band, Calpurnia. For his contributions to Sweet Relief, he was honored at the 2017 Television Industry Advocacy Awards.
Net Worth
Estimated to be over 4 million dollars