It’s official— Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton are our favorite couple to emerge from the Upside Down. After meeting on the set of Stranger Things, where they play the formidable boyfriend-girlfriend duo of Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers, the pair soon developed a romance in real life.
Rumors of Dyer and Heaton’s romance first began in early September. A little more than a year later, they confirmed their romance with a simple act of PDA. Now, the couple is showing off their romance more regularly on red carpets and Instagram. Ahead of the fourth season of Stranger Things, here’s a definitive timeline of Dyer and Heaton’s relationship.
September 9, 2016 — Heaton calls Dyer one of his “amigos.”
Heaton took a trip to the island of Menorca, which sits off the coast of Spain. He hit up the island with Dyer, along with two of his other friends.
September 14, 2016 — Dyer posts her first picture of Heaton to her Instagram account.
When Dyer posted a picture of Heaton to her Instagram account, fans to started wonder if there was more to their relationship that meets the eye. The snap shows Heaton holding up three birds—one each on his head, shoulder, and arm—on a sunny afternoon. “Wow congrats @charlie.r.heaton on his new one man show Stranger Wings!! Sure gonna miss you s2 but happy you’re doing what you love,” she captioned the post, adding a red heart emoji at the end.
October 29, 2016 — Heaton and Dyer sport matching Halloween costumes.
For Halloween, Heaton, Dyer, and two other friends decide to dress up as the four main characters from The Wizard of Oz. Heaton dressed up as the Scarecrow, while Dyer dressed at the Cowardly Lion.
January 9, 2017 — The pair are spotted leaving LAX together.
After attending the 74th Golden Globe Awards together, where Stranger Things was nominated for best television series drama, the two were seen leaving Los Angeles International airport with each other. This only further sparked rumors of a possible romance between the two.
January 30, 2017 — A source reveals that Dyer and Heaton are indeed dating.
Just weeks after paparazzi caught the pair leaving Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) together, Life & Style magazine reported that the two were an official couple long before the initial speculation began. A source stated their relationship began before October of the previous year. “They’re definitely dating. They’ve been together since before season two began filming in October,” the source said. “[They spend] every waking minute together, on set and off.” According to the source, Dyer also took Heaton to her Nashville hometown to meet her parents.
March 23, 2017 — Dyer and Heaton neither confirm nor deny the dating rumors.
When the alleged couple was spotted together at LAX a second time, TMZ caught up with them and enquired about their relationship status. “Is it hard blending personal and professional lives, it’s not challenging at all? I’d imagine dating one of my co-workers would be perilous, you know?” the cameraman asked in an attempt to confirm if the two are dating or not.
Dyer chose to deflect the rumors, stating that if it seems like she and Heaton are close, it’s because the entire cast is close with one another. “Whether people are dating or hanging out, I think that our cast just is cool with each other. I mean, I won’t speak for anybody else but it’s been you know. We’re all one big family.” Unsatisfied with her answer, the camera outright asked if they were dating, to which Dyer responded “Have a nice day,” before leaving with Heaton.
October 4, 2017 — Dyer and Heaton confirm rumors that they are dating with a simple act of PDA.
While out and about in New York City, Dyer and Heaton were spotted holding hands as they walked down the street.
October 28, 2017 — Heaton is absent for the season 2 premiere party for Stranger Things.
USA Today reported that Heaton, a British citizen, was denied entry into the United States because a customs canine caught trace amounts of cocaine in his luggage upon arrival to LAX. He was returned to London, free of charges and arrest.
When the story leaked, Heaton released an official statement explaining the circumstances surrounding him missing the premiere party. “My planned travel to the U.S. last week was affected by an issue at U.S. immigration, and I am working to rectify it as soon as possible,” he wrote. “I do want to clarify that I was not arrested or charged with a crime and cooperated fully with the U.S. officials at LAX. I’m sorry to all the fans and my Stranger Things family for missing the premiere. We are all so proud of this season and I would never want this story to negatively impact the show.”
November 7, 2017 — Dyer and Heaton spend quality time together in Paris.
While doing press in Paris for Stranger Things season two, the pair made sure to tour the city. They enjoyed the day together and took a moment to do some window shopping.
November 14, 2017 — The couple is spotted kissing in public.
A week later in London, Dyer and Heaton were very affectionate and were photographed kissing each other in the middle of the street.
December 4, 2017 — Dyer and Heaton make their relationship red carpet official.
For the 2017 Fashion Awards in London, the pair decided to put the official stamp on their relationship by hitting the red carpet together. Dyer wore a beautiful star-embellished burgundy dress by Coach, while Heaton wore a satin canary yellow bomber jacket, also by Coach.
January 13, 2018 — Heaton posts a sweet birthday message to Dyer on Instagram.
“Happy 21st birthday!” he wrote below an adorable picture of his girlfriend/co-star holding up a piece of birthday cake.”I hope it’s a great one and I’m stoked to be working on this new series with you. I think it’s gonna be great.”
Heaton cutely added a P.S. to his message, which hinted at their plans for later in the evening. “Not feeling too well but I still wanna meet you at piedmont park tonight,” he said, signing off his message with an “x” for hugs.
March 9, 2018 — Heaton opens up about his drug charges.
In an interview with Flaunt, the actor opened about being detained at LAX amid the allegations that he had trace amounts of cocaine in his luggage. “It was hard,” he said. “Everything happened so fast, and I hadn’t come to terms with the fact that I was famous. When something steps in from the work you are doing and breaks into your personal life…you feel kind of vulnerable. All of a sudden it becomes a very big story and it gets really blown out of proportion.”
April 14, 2018 — The couple attend Coachella together.
The couple was spotted twice at the annual music festival. They attended the Tao x Revolve – Desert Nights after party in Palm Springs and were joined by Camila Mendes and Vanessa Morgan. The following night, they were spotted on the actual festival grounds.
September 16, 2018 — Heaton and Dyer attend the Emmy Awards together.
The couple attended the annual awards ceremony arm in arm, with Dyer in a stunning gold embroidered Dolce and Gabbana gown and Heaton in a classic tuxedo.
January 21, 2019 — Dyer briefly opens up about her relationship with Heaton.
When Dyer attended the 25th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, she told an Us Weekly reporter what she loves most about her boyfriend/Stranger Things co-star. “He’s alright I guess. He doesn’t mess up our scenes too much!” she joked. “No, he’s great. He’s talented, like everybody in the cast. They’re all super, just great to work with.”
January 28, 2019 — Heaton is Dyer’s date to the premiere of Velvet Buzzsaw.
Heaton attended the Los Angeles premiere for the Netflix film alongside Dyer, in which she stars in as Coco, to support her. Dyer wore a beautiful floral Oscar de la Renta dress with Christian Louboutin heels and Cartier jewelry, while Heaton wore Dior Men.
January 29, 2019 — Sources report that the couple is smitten with each other.
A day after the Los Angeles premiere for Velvet Buzzsaw, an Us Weekly source stated that the couple is “obsessed” with each other. “He seemed so proud to be on her arm for the night,”the source said. “They were adorable and very affectionate on the red carpet. While she was doing photos, he was just staring at her in awe.”
The source also revealed that at the premiere, Heaton was kind enough to save Dyer from a dress malfunction. “She had a dress malfunction at one point and he helped her clasp it back together…she flashed him a cute smile to thank him.”
Later that evening, the pair stayed attached to one another at the official afterparty for the premiere. “Charlie got her a drink at the bar and they toasted with fun, themed cocktails with some pals,” the source added. “At one point, Charlie cuddled up to Natalia and started dancing with her. He had his hand on her cheek, and she was gazing lovingly into his eyes. They seem totally obsessed with one another.”
February 27, 2019 — Heaton opens up about being in a relationship with Dyer.
In his magazine cover story for V Man, Heaton opened up about what it has been like to work with Dyer on Stranger Things, and said that it’s nice to have the emotional support from a partner that is going through that same obstacles as he is career-wise. “Yeah, because there are times when you do get stressed. So to go home with someone you work with, and say, ‘I think they hate me…’ They’ll say, ‘No they don’t,'” he told the magazine.
“You can break the walls down with your partner,” he continued. “Because we work in the same industry and have had similar trajectories, we’ve gone through it together. Sharing that does bring you closer. 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!”
April 10, 2019 — Dyer and Heaton have a night out at a Cartier event in Paris.
Dyer and Heaton had a fancy date night at the Clash de Cartier party in Paris, where both dressed up for the ritzy fashion industry event. Dyer wore a Cinderella-esque blue chiffon gown with embellished straps while Heaton wore a sharp suit alongside her. Dyer wore her hair up:
May 25, 2019 — The couple attend a Dior fashion show together.
After they wrapped filming for season three of Stranger Things, the couple managed to keep their public outings to a minimum, but decided to make an appearance at the Christian Dior Couture Spring Summer 2019 Cruise Collection fashion show in Chantilly, France. This was the last time the couple was spotted out and about.
June 28, 2019 — Dyer and Heaton attend the Stranger Things season 3 premiere party together.
Dyer and Heaton both attended the Santa Monica premiere for their Netflix series’ third season. But the two posed on the carpet separately.
They were photographed inside the premiere alongside Cara Buono:
Dyer wore a rainbow sequined dress by Dior Haute Couture to the event. It was their first big event together since the Dior Cruise show.
July 1, 2019 — Dyer talks a little about the perks of working with her boyfriend Heaton.
Ahead of Stranger Things‘ season 3 release, Dyer did an interview with Refinery29, where she spoke about what it was like filming the show on set with her real-life partner. “It’s an interesting thing to work with somebody who you go home with,” she said of her long days filming with Heaton. “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.”
She also touched on why she has chosen not to talk about her and Heaton’s off-screen relationship publicly. Keeping her love life and personal relationships private, “that’s something important to me—with my family, with my friends, I really like to keep it for me,” she said.
Three days later, the pair posed on the red carpet for the Stranger Things season 3 premiere.
July 12, 2019 — The couple takes a lie detector test.
Dyer and Heaton’s relationship was put to the test when they sat down for a Q&A game with Vanity Fair. Each asked the other person a series of interrogative questions, which they must answer in order to pass the lie detector test. Among the revelations? That Dyer’s first impression of Heaton was, “You’re scared of bugs,” she explained. “You’re cool. You’re a cool guy. You’re a drummer in a band.”
July 24, 2019 — Heaton and Dyer jet off to Italy.
The co-stars and real-life couple took a break from pondering Stranger Things season 4 to vacation in Italy. Heaton and Dyer were spotted sipping cocktails after walking the 2019 Giffoni Film Festival red carpet two days prior.
September 24, 2019 — Dyer and Heaton take Fashion Week by storm.
The couple took their love story on a public tour in September. At the start of the month, they were seen at the Thom Browne show during New York Fashion Week.
During the final week of September, Dyer and Heaton attended two separate Dior events during Paris Fashion Week. Heaton even shared a moody pic of the pair at Dior’s show on Instagram.
November 8, 2019 — Dyer opens up about date nights with Heaton.
During an interview with InStyle, Dyer was asked if she and Heaton ever coordinate outfits. “No!” she told the outlet with a laugh. “That’s literally never on purpose. You do see articles, and no, we didn’t. I feel like we would naturally go out of our way to not, but it just happens. Kind of a thing.”
However, she was willing to divulge on her ideal date night with the actor. “I think the ideal is a cozy, candle-lit kind of restaurant, maybe a fun bar, just walking around,” Dyer said. “Somewhere where you can hear each other talk.”
January 13, 2020 — Heaton celebrates Dyer’s birthday on IG.
When it came time to honor Dyer’s 25th birthday, Heaton posted a rare photo of the couple to Instagram. He simply captioned the cuddly pic with the birthday cake emoji.
February 24, 2020 — Heaton opens up about keeping things quiet with Dyer.
Earlier this year, Heaton was asked about the low-key nature of his romance with Dyer for his GQ profile. According to the outlet, the couple “weren’t being sneaky—they were young coworkers on a huge job interested in each other, and they didn’t want to mess with anything.” Heaton plainly explained, “We didn’t really know what the relationship was.” But, according to Stranger Things co-creator Matt Duffer, the attraction between them was evident. “That first audition, we did a chemistry read with [Heaton and] Natalia, and sparks were flying,” he told the outlet.
December 11, 2021 — The couple arrives at Dior Homme catwalk after party.
On Thursday night, Dyer and Heaton attended the Dior Homme catwalk after-party together in London. Dyer wore a pair of large white loafers and a matching red suit. Heaton wore a cream-colored turtleneck with a brown jacket and navy slacks.
This is a rare public appearance for the couple, who have continued to stay very private about their relationship.
May 6, 2022 — Dyer discusses her relationship with Heaton in a new interview.
While talking to Cosmopolitan to promote the new season of Stranger Things, Dyer gave a rare glimpse into her relationship with her co-star, saying it is very “special” that they get to work and find fame side-by-side.
“It’s an understanding that would be hard to replicate,” said Dyer. “It’s an indescribable thing.”
In general, she seems to find people’s interest in her relationship with Heaton to be a bit of a strange thing.
“I’m always curious as to why it comes up,” she continued. “Why do people want to know about it? I think it’s a natural instinct to want to know more about the people who are on your screens for hours, about what they’re like in real life. [But] now that I’ve experienced the other side of it… It sounds so cliché, but I’m just a person, too. Some people are very good about being open and sharing, and other people feel a little more comfortable holding some things for themselves.”
Dyer added that she doesn’t think there should be pressure on celebrities to go “red-carpet official” or share interviews.
“We were colleagues first,” she explained. “It’s a standard, natural thing that would’ve happened either way. We work on the same show – naturally we would do interviews together and things like that. The weirdest thing about [our relationship] is other people’s perception and reaction to it. Everything else just feels very human.”
April 25, 2023 — Dyer and Heaton make a rare event appearance together for Dior.
Dyer and Heaton confirmed their romance is still going strong when they attended the Brooklyn Museum’s Artist Ball for Christian Dior. The couple posed together for photographers and complemented each other in black ensembles.
Assistant News Editor
Starr Bowenbank is the assistant news editor who writes about all things pertaining to news, pop culture, and entertainment—you can follow her here. Writing aside, she loves singing literally everywhere, dancing in the street, hanging out in the East Village every chance she gets, and making her dreams come true.