Teen Netflix star was 'upset' when 40-year-old mom had a 'crush on him'

Stranger Things actor Gaten Matarazzo has discussed the “uncomfortable” experience of meeting a 40-year-old fan who had a crush on him.

When you hear somebody mention Netflix, it’s likely the first TV show that springs to mind is Stranger Things. The Duffer Brothers’ sci-fi series debuted in 2016 and quickly became a sensation with critics and general audiences alike. Four seasons in it stands as the streamer’s most popular show ever, changing the lives of its cast including 21-year-old American actor Gaten Matarazzo. He has portrayed the character of Dustin from the series’ very start, when he was just 13. He became a fan favorite straight out of the gate, but in the wake of that popularity, he experienced a deeply troubling encounter with a viewer…

Gaten Matarazzo shares story of 40-year-old fan with a ‘crush’

Actors have long spoken out against the downsides of your name and face being known far and wide. Speaking as a guest on the latest episode of the Inside Of You podcast, shared on Tuesday, May 28th 2024, Gaten answered an innocent question.

“Do you have any funny stories from meeting a fan at a con?” host Michael Rosenbaum asked him.

“There are some that are a little uncomfortable,” Gaten said. “I remember 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.’”

“Oh boy,” Michael chimed in, understandably.

“And I was like, ‘That’s upsetting,'” Gaten continued to recount. “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, ‘Mom, what the f**k?’ I swear to God.”

“Oh my Lord,” Michael reacted through Gaten’s laughter, asking him if he started laughing during the encounter.

“I couldn’t,” Gaten replied, adding that his mom was right there the entire time. “That was rough.”

Gaten is at peace with Stranger Things’ success looming over him

When you’re a child star in a show as globally successful and influential as Stranger Things, it may be hard to overcome the feeling that there’s no going up from there.

Yet, this is something Gaten admits he’s happy to accept.

“I am very okay with Stranger Things being very likely the biggest thing I will ever do,” he admitted during the interview. “And it will most likely be the thing I am remembered for even if I consistently work after this.”

The final season of Stranger Things is set to premiere sometime in 2025, but after that, it will be exciting to learn what opportunities present themselves. Either way, his legacy as Dustin will never fade.

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