Gaten Matarazzo reflects on uncomfortable fan encounters and life-changing impact of Stranger Things

From financial security to unexpected challenges, Matarazzo opens up about his journey in the entertainment industry.

Gaten Matarazzo has had a few interactions with fans that were “a little uncomfortable,” but one particular instance stands out. “I did one 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,’” Matarazzo, 21, recalled on the May 28 episode of the “Inside of You” podcast. “And I was like, ‘That’s upsetting.’ I’m sure she just meant, ‘Aw, this kid’s cute.’”

However, the woman doubled down on her remark. “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, ‘Mom, what the f–k?’ I swear to God,” he said, noting that the girl was around 13 years old.

When host Michael Rosenbaum asked if he laughed at the exchange, Matarazzo said he “couldn’t.” Instead, he recalled looking over at his mother, who was sitting next to him. “That was rough,” he said.

Despite occasional awkward fan interactions, Matarazzo, who rose to stardom on "Stranger Things," is grateful for the opportunities the series has provided. “Those careers are always about peaks and values. With this show, it is quite clear and I am very well aware — and would like my professional team to understand — that I am very OK with "Stranger Things" being very likely the biggest thing I will ever do,” he said. “And it will most likely be the thing I am remembered for even if I consistently work after this.”

He continued, “And I am so cool with that as long as it facilitates happiness going forward, security, and more work going forward. What more could I ask for? I don’t want to maintain a sense of relevance at this point when it isn’t even something I particularly enjoy that much.”

"Stranger Things," which debuted in 2016, takes place in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, where a group of friends witnesses a series of supernatural events. The show is currently filming its fifth and final season, set to premiere in 2025.

Matarazzo, who stars as Dustin Henderson, noted that the series has brought many positives into his life, especially financially. “Of course I understand all the wonderful things it has done for me and my family. When it comes to financial security, that is just something that — growing up, it was a real struggle and then suddenly it is not. When you are that young, you can’t really reflect or understand how incredible that is for your family and you,” he explained. “But then there is a part of it where you are that young and you are suddenly the breadwinner for your family when you are 12. That is not something that is normal.”

After the success of the Netflix show, the cast members' parents united to renegotiate their salaries since many stars were underage. “We are pretty grateful. What is also interesting is that all of our parents were talking about what would be best for all of us collectively going forward,” he said. “Because they were the ones who were negotiating before we turned 18.”

Matarazzo admitted that he didn’t fully understand the process of getting a pay raise. “Even now we are like, ‘I don’t know what the hell all of this means.’ We are still the age of college juniors who for the most part are living off of Ramen and Oreos. That hasn’t changed,” he said. “There’s still so much that we are learning from our parents day to day. So it’s really good that they were collectively quite close to each other and they could talk about what they could say going forward that would be best for all of us.”

Gaten Matarazzo's journey with "Stranger Things" highlights both the rewards and challenges of early fame, showing a young actor's path to navigating success while staying grounded.