Which character is played by Matthew Modine in "Stranger Things"?

Matthew Modine plays Dr. Martin Brenner in Stranger Things.

Brenner is the scientist who directs Hawkins National Laboratory, the secretive government facility where children with psychic abilities are studied and tested. Eleven calls him “Papa,” reflecting the controlling parental role he tries to impose on her, although their relationship is deeply abusive and manipulative.

Brenner is initially presented as one of the show’s central antagonists. His experiments help create the conditions behind the supernatural events in Hawkins, and he is closely connected to Eleven’s childhood and powers. Season 4 gives the character more complexity, showing that he believes he is protecting Eleven even while continuing to control her.

Matthew Modine is an American actor also known for films including Full Metal Jacket and Birdy. In Stranger Things, Modine’s portrayal makes Brenner unsettling partly because he often speaks calmly and paternalistically while carrying out ethically horrific experiments. Brenner is also commonly called “Papa,” but that is an alias or title used within the story, not his actual name.