Sadie Sink on Audience Phone Use in Theater: 'I Am Filled With So Much Rage'
Sink recently made her return to the stage in John Proctor is the Villain and Romeo and Juliet.
Last year, Stranger Things star Sadie Sink made her return to the stage with a starring role in Kimberly Belflower's highly acclaimed play, John Proctor is the Villain. Amid her ongoing participation in screen projects, she also recently concluded her London run in Romeo and Juliet and, in a new interview, shared her thoughts on theater etiquette.
For a profile in Nylon, the Tony-nominee commented on the phone use she observed by audience members immediately after the show ends. “The lights go off, and then I just see all these faces in the audience because everyone is turning their phone on," said the performer. “I’m like, ‘Guys, give it a minute. Take it in for a second!’” Sink continued: “I am filled with so much rage when I see, like, three iPhones in the audience."
2026 Tony winner Lesley Manville has also been vocal about phone use, specifically with Broadway audiences. "They are very keen at the end here to get their phones out and take photos of you doing the curtain call," she told Stephen Colbert during a 2025 appearance on The Late Show, before adding, "Can something live in our souls?"
Also in the Nylon piece, Sink spoke about the complicated nature of theater bootlegs and the importance of theater accessibility at large. “They raised me, those bootlegs, and inspired me so much. That’s why we need to make theater very accessible, so that everyone can go in and see it, but also people from all over the world. That wasn’t accessible to me in Texas, so I get it, but wait for the pro-shot.” Check out the full profile at Nylon.
In 2025, Sadie Sink received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in “John Proctor Is The Villain,” becoming the second-youngest woman ever nominated in the category. Most recently, she made her West End debut as Juliet in Robert Icke’s acclaimed revival of “Romeo & Juliet” at London’s Harold Pinter Theatre, opposite Noah Jupe. Next, she will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” and is set to executive-produce the film adaptation of “John Proctor Is The Villain" for Universal.
Sink first gained worldwide recognition as Max Mayfield in Netflix’s hit series “Stranger Things,” joining the cast in 2017. Film credits include a critically acclaimed performance opposite Brendan Fraser in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale,” which earned her a Critics Choice Award nomination. “Fear Street,” “The Glass Castle,” and “Chuck.” She began her career on Broadway in the 2013 revival of “Annie” and later appeared opposite Helen Mirren in the Tony-nominated production of “The Audience.”
Photo Credit: Bruce Glikas
