‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Star Sadie Sink Slams Phone Users in Theaters – “I am filled with so much rage”

Sadie Sink has a simple message for people who use their phones during live theater performances: put them away and enjoy the show.

In a recent interview with Nylon, the Stranger Things and Spider-Man: Brand New Day star opened up about one of her biggest frustrations while performing on stage. Sink said it can be upsetting to see audience members reaching for their phones instead of staying focused on the performance.

She explained that the problem often starts before the play is even over. “The lights go off, and then I just see all these faces in the audience because everyone is turning their phone on,” Sink told Nylon. “I’m like, ‘Guys, give it a minute. Take it in for a second!’”

According to Sink, the habit is even more frustrating when people start recording before the final moments of the performance. “I am filled with so much rage when I see, like, three iPhones in the audience,” she said.

Even though she dislikes seeing phones during live shows, Sink understands why some people look for recordings of theater productions online. She admitted that bootleg videos played an important role when she was younger because seeing live theater was not always possible where she grew up in Texas.

“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,” Sink explained.

Sink is not the only performer who has spoken out about audience members using their phones during live performances. Entertainment Weekly noted that several Broadway stars have shared similar opinions. At the 2026 Tony Awards, Julia Louis-Dreyfus jokingly told theatergoers to “get the f— off their phones,” while actor and comedian Matt Rogers also encouraged audiences to switch their devices off before the show begins.

While Sink continues to perform on stage, she is also preparing for one of the biggest movie releases of her career. After becoming famous as Max Mayfield in Netflix’s Stranger Things, she is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Her role in the movie is still being kept secret. Speaking to Nylon, Sink admitted that joining a Marvel film felt much bigger than she expected.

“I knew that Marvel was a big deal and had a big brand, especially Spider-Man,” she said. “I know there’s a huge fan base, but it feels really big. I think these blockbuster movies are a whole different beast.”

She also praised her co-star Tom Holland for making her feel welcome while filming. According to Sink, stepping into such a major franchise could have been intimidating, but Holland helped make the experience much easier.

“It was interesting stepping into that space and being a little bit of an outsider in that way, but he could not have been more welcoming, and just the whole crew in general,” Sink said. “He was just so relaxed and open, and I felt very at ease.”

Spider-Man: Brand New Day will arrive in theaters on July 31. As Sink begins a new chapter with Marvel while continuing her theater career, she hopes audiences remember one simple thing: live performances deserve their full attention, and sometimes the best way to enjoy the moment is by keeping the phone in your pocket.

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