How Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton Went From Onscreen to Real-Life Lovers

Production for the first season of "Stranger Things" started in 2015, with the show airing in July 2016. By that time, Dyer and Heaton had worked together on screen and already formed a friendship. In September 2016, Heaton posted a picture of himself along with Dyer and another friend atop the Punta Nati Lighthouse in Spain, writing "Amigos!!" in the caption. Days later, Dyer herself shared a picture from the trip with Heaton surrounded by birds. She comically referenced their show in the caption, calling his picture a one-man show, "Stranger Wings."

One month after their trip to Spain, Dyer and Heaton celebrated Halloween together. The pair dressed as characters from "The Wizard of Oz," with Heaton dressed as the Scarecrow and Dyer as the Cowardly Lion. The pair still weren't Instagram official, however, since it was more of a group costume than a couples costume. The two posed and linked arms with two other friends dressed as Dorothy and the Tin Man for the spooky occasion.

In January 2017, a source told Life & Style that Dyer and Heaton were officially dating and had been for months. "They're definitely dating. They've been together since before season two began filming in October," the source said at the time. In addition, the source claimed that the couple were spending all of their time together, both on and off set.

There are plenty of rumors that circulate in the media, and romances are constantly hot topics. While Life & Style claimed Dyer and Heaton were together in January 2017, it wasn't until the two were spotted holding hands in NYC in October 2017 that people were convinced their relationship was real, as Elle reported at the time. From then on, the pair were seen acting like a couple in public on several occasions.

Dyer and Heaton made their official red carpet debut at the 2017 British Fashion Awards in London. The two coordinated their looks, and both wore Coach for the occasion. It would be the first of many formal public appearances the two would make together.

To celebrate his girlfriend's birthday, Heaton shared a sweet birthday post on Instagram for Dyer. Heaton captioned a picture of Dyer holding a slice of cake, "happy 21st birthday! @nattyiceofficial I hope it's a great one and I'm stoked to be working on this new series with you. I think it's going to be great."

Later that month, Dyer briefly touched on her relationship with Heaton to Us Weekly at the 2018 SAG Awards, telling the outlet, "He's alright I guess. He doesn't mess up our scenes too much!"

The couple's second red carpet appearance was at the Emmy Awards in September 2018. That year, "Stranger Things" was nominated for multiple awards, including outstanding drama series. Dyer and Heaton embraced in front of the cameras and looked happier than ever together.

Dyer and Heaton are one of the more private couples in Hollywood, and they have been ever since they started dating in 2016. In January 2019, a source told Us Weekly that "they seem totally obsessed with one another" at the afterparty for Dyer's film "Velvet Buzzsaw." While this did not come from either actor, it did add a little insight into their private relationship.

In February 2019, Heaton finally opened up about Dyer in an interview with V Man. When asked about what it's like working with his girlfriend, the "Stranger Things" actor responded, "Because we work in the same industry and have had similar trajectories, we've gone through it together. Sharing that does bring you closer." He elaborated on how they became close, saying, "They understand something that maybe no one else would. You go into high-pressure situations together but you can share those insecurities or whatever they are. The great, happy times, too . . . Really f**king sweet!"

In their first video together as a couple, Dyer and Heaton took Vanity Fair's lie-detector test. In the video, the couple ask each other silly questions about their backgrounds, their "Stranger Things" costars, and even their astrological signs (Heaton is an Aquarius, BTW).

Later that month, Dyer touched on her relationship with Heaton in an interview with Refinery 29. The actor said, "It's an interesting thing to work with somebody who you go home with. It's always really fun. We're really comfortable with each other, so we can play and feel more free, and we can talk about it before."

In typical fashion, Heaton honored Dyer on Instagram in January 2020 for her birthday. The post, captioned with a single birthday-cake emoji, shows the two happily embraced together with smiles all around.

A month after Dyer's birthday post, Heaton was interviewed by GQ in February 2020. He addressed keeping their relationship low-key and attributed this to them not really knowing what their relationship was at first. "Stranger Things" showrunner Matt Duffer did note, however, that their connection was instant, saying, "That first audition, we did a chemistry read with [Heaton and] Natalia and sparks were flying."

Fast forward to May 2022. While Dyer and Heaton have remained private about their relationship, the two are still going strong. About working with Heaton, Dyer told Cosmopolitan UK, "It's an understanding that would be hard to replicate. It's an indescribable thing." She also touched on the public's obsession with their relationship, saying, "The weirdest thing about [our relationship] is other people's perception and reaction to it. Everything else just feels very human."