For the better part of a decade, Gaten Matarazzo has portrayed Dustin Henderson on Netflix’s Stranger Things. He’s grown up in front of our collective eyes ahead of the upcoming fifth and final season. Matarazzo has met a lot of fans since the first season premiered in 2016. But there was one particularly creepy fan encounter that left him shocked.
Via US Magazine, Matarazzo recently appeared on Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast where he related his bizarre and deeply uncomfortable meeting with a much older woman.
“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,'” said Matarazzo. “And I was like, ‘That’s upsetting.’’ I’m sure she just meant, ‘Aw, this kid’s cute.’ But then she doubled down.”
To make things even more cringe, the woman made the confession with her daughter standing next to her.
“She was like, ‘I’m aware of the age difference,'” continued Matarazzo. “And then I was like, ‘Alright.’ And her daughter was with her, and her daughter goes, ‘Mom, what the f***?’ I swear to God.”
Matarazzo also noted that he has been groped by some fans while posing for pictures with them. “I’ve had a few butt grabs for sure,” recalled Matarazzo.
Regardless of those uncomfortable encounters, Matarazzo shared his gratitude for landing the role that may define his career.
“I am very OK with Stranger Things being very likely the biggest thing I will ever do,” said Matarazzo. “And it will most likely be the thing I am remembered for even if I consistently work after this. 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 Season 5 will premiere on Netflix in 2025.
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