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Stranger Things' Gaten Matarazzo Reveals Disturbing Encounter With 40-Year-Old Fan

30 May 2024, 17:35

By Sam Prance

The Stranger Things actor says it was "upsetting" to find out that the woman had fancied him when he was still a child.

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Gaten Matarazzo has opened up about an "uncomfortable" interaction he recently had with a Stranger Things fan in her 40s.

When Stranger Things first began filming in 2015, the majority of the main cast were all children. Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) was 11, Finn Wolfhard (Mike) was 12, Noah Schnapp (Will) was 10, Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas) was 13 and Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) was 13. Since then, they've all gone through adolescence and have become young adults while acting on the show.

Now, Gaten has revealed that he's had some disturbing encounters with older fans including one who had a crush on him.

Read more: Stranger Things Fans Are Praising Gaten Matarazzo's Performance In Eddie's Death Scene

How old is Gaten Matarazzo?

Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Millie Brown, Gaten Matarazzo seen at the red carpet premiere Stranger Things. Picture: Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Netflix

Appearing on the Inside of You podcast, Gaten explained that he's had "uncomfortable" moments with Stranger Things fans. He said: "I did [an event] very recently - and this is not very funny, but the reactions around it were quite funny - where this woman in her '40s said straight up, ‘I’ve had a crush on you since you were 13.’"

Gaten initially tried to dismiss it. He said: "And I was like, ‘That’s upsetting.’ I’m sure she just meant, ‘Aw, this kid’s cute.’ But then she doubled down. She was like, ‘I’m aware of the age difference.’ And then I was like, ‘Alright.’” And her daughter was with her, and her daughter goes, ‘Mum, what the f--k?’ I swear to God."

As mentioned above, Gaten was just 13 in the first season of Stranger Things and he only turned 21 in September last year.

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Gaten isn't the only Stranger Things cast member who has criticised the way in which older fans have treated them. In 2020, Millie took to Instagram to call out the "inappropriate comments, sexualization, and unnecessary insults" that she's been subject to since she first rose to fame.

Millie also appeared on The Guilty Feminist after turning 18 in 2022 and said that it's been "gross" seeing how much more people sexualise her now that she's come of age.