The 21-year-old actor, who is known for his role as Dustin Henderson on the hit Netflix series, recalls the moment when a woman in her forties told him that she had a crush on him since he was 13.
- May 30, 2024
AceShowbiz - Not all interactions with fans are comfortable. "Stranger Things" star Gaten Matarazzo recalled the moment when a woman in her forties told him that she had a crush on him since he was 13.
"I did one very recently - and this is not very funny, but the reactions around it were quite funny," Gaten revealed in the Tuesday, May 28 episode of the "Inside of You" podcast. "This woman in her 40s said straight up, 'I've had a crush on you since you were 13.' "
The 21-year-old actor added, "And I was like, 'That's upsetting.' I'm sure she just meant, 'Aw, this kid's cute.' " However, things went worse as 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 recounted, adding that the girl was around 13 years old.
Gaten told host Michael Rosenbaum that he didn't find the exchange funny. The Netflix star said, "That was rough."
Despite that, the Dustin Henderson depicter on "Stranger Things" shared that he's grateful for the hit Netflix series that sent him to stardom. "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."
The young star 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" is currently filming its fifth and final season. In addition to Gaten, the show stars Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, David Harbour and Winona Ryder among others.
