Gaten Matarazzo: From Broadway To Stranger Things Fame
Discover how Gaten Matarazzo rose from Broadway musicals to stardom as Dustin in Stranger Things. Explore his acting journey, voice roles, and inspiring advocacy work.
Jul 23, 20256K Shares163K Views
Gaten Matarazzofirst made waves on Broadway as a young child, appearing in shows like Priscilla, Queen of the Desertand Les Misérables. His talent and charm led him to the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, where he plays Dustin Henderson and became beloved worldwide. Beyond acting, he hosted the hidden-camera show Prank Encountersand has used his platform to raise awareness about cleidocranial dysplasia, a rare condition he has in real life. With a growing list of films, stage roles, and advocacy work, Gaten has become an inspiring figure across entertainment and beyond.
Early Life
Gaten John Matarazzo III was born on September 8, 2002, in New London, Connecticut, and raised in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. He comes from an Italian-American family and has an older sister, Sabrina, and a younger brother, Carmen.
He was born with a rare genetic condition called cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD), which affects bone and dental development. This condition led to missing collarbones and delayed adult teeth, and he has had multiple surgeries to manage it. Despite these challenges, his case is mild, and he has used his visibility to raise awareness about CCD.
He trained in singing and performing early on, receiving vocal coaching at the Starlight Performing Arts Center in New Jersey. As a child, he competed in vocal contests and placed third at the Starpower Talent Competition with his song “Ben”.
His childhood included stage education and strong family support. His parents encouraged his performing dreams and helped him pursue Broadway auditions from a young age.
Career
Gaten Matarazzo began acting on Broadway as a child, first appearing in Priscilla, Queen of the Desertin 2011 as Benjamin, and later playing Gavroche in the 2014–15 revival of Les Misérables. He made his on-screen debut with a guest role on The Blacklistin 2015, and in 2016 he landed the major part of Dustin Henderson on Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, a role he continued through 2025.
From 2019 to 2021, Gaten hosted and executive produced the hidden-camera show Prank Encounterson Netflix, showing his talent beyond acting. He also appeared in other TV shows such as Waffles + Mochiand provided voice work in Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxyin 2024.
In film, he voiced characters in The Angry Birds Movie 2(2019), My Father’s Dragon(2022), and played Michael in Honor Society(2022). In 2023, he appeared as himself in Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain, and he is set to voice Lucky in an upcoming Animal Farmremake in 2025.
On stage, Gaten returned to musical theater with roles in Into the Woods(2018), Dear Evan Hansen(2022), Parade(2022), and most recently Sweeney Todd(2023) on Broadway. Alongside his acting, he leads fundraising and awareness efforts for cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) through CCD Smiles, and promotes causes through his popularity.
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