Fremantle Markets witnessed a celebrity surprise over the weekend when Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton joined the queue at popular food stall Viet Kites.
A Star-Studded Lunch Break
On Saturday, November 22, 2025, the British actor casually wandered through the bustling weekend markets before stopping at the Vietnamese eatery that has gained fame for its viral banh mi croissant. Owner Thuong Vu described the moment she and her husband Duy Bao recognized the famous customer.
"He just queued up at my store and bought the chicken banh mi," Ms Vu told PerthNow. "Then we started asking him 'is it you from the Stranger Things movie?' And he said yes!"
The owners experienced what they called a 'heart attack' moment, astonished that someone of Heaton's celebrity status would wait in line like any other customer. "We just felt like oh my God, someone like him stopped by and queued up for a banh mi, we couldn't believe it," Ms Vu expressed.
Friendly Encounter and Photo Opportunity
After serving Heaton his chicken banh mi, the owners asked if they could capture the moment with a photograph. The actor happily agreed to pose with them in front of their store.
"He was very friendly," Ms Vu recalled. "When we did the first photo with him my husband was closing his eyes, then we asked if we could do the photo again and he said yeah sure."
The encounter left the business owners both surprised and delighted by the actor's down-to-earth nature. Ms Vu confirmed they were "very happy" with the unexpected celebrity visit.
Connection to Perth Filming Project
When Ms Vu inquired if Heaton was visiting Perth for a holiday, the actor revealed he was actually in Western Australia for a new filming project. Social media users quickly connected the dots, suggesting he's working on the romantic comedy Twice Over.
Customer Cassie Hunter commented on Viet Kites' social media post about the encounter, stating: "Pretty sure he's filming a movie here called Twice Over."
The film, which recently began production in Perth, stars both Heaton and Mia Wasikowska. According to Screenwest, Twice Over is "set entirely in the port city of Fremantle" and follows "the lives of two people whose unexpected reunion stirs long-buried feelings and unspoken uncertainties about love, time, and reinvention."
The production features a strong West Australian cast including Jennah Bannear, Georgia Wilkinson-Derums, Clarence Ryan and Austen Wilmot.
Viet Kites has been operating at Fremantle Markets for six years, building its reputation through traditional Vietnamese offerings and its now-famous banh mi croissant fusion that gained viral attention online.
