Gaten Matarazzo

Gaten Matarazzo
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Comments (5)
Name:
Gaten Matarazzo
Real name:
Gaten John Matarazzo III
Who is:
Birth date:
(22 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, U.S.
Height:
5'4 ft ()
Weight:
130 lb (59 kg)
Relationship:
single
Birth Sign:
(characteristic)
Chinese zodiac:
Links:

Gaten Matarazzo's biography

Gaten Matarazzo plays fan-favorite Dustin on Stranger Things. The young actor has millions of fans worldwide, not only because he's found a way to deal with his disability, but also because he helps people with similar diagnoses. His net worth: $5 million.
In the photo: Gaten Matarazzo
In the photo: Gaten Matarazzo

Childhood and first roles

Gaten Matarazzo was born on September 8, 2002 in Connecticut, but he grew up in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. He was blessed with loving parents, a brother Carmen, and a sister named Sabrina, along with natural light-heartedness and talent. Unfortunately, this came with a challenge – his cleidocranial dysplasia diagnosis, a birth defect that primarily affects bone structure and teeth.
Gaten is very easy-going and talented
Gaten is very easy-going and talented
He was born without wrists, which led to severe changes in his skeletal structure and missing teeth.
What you see is nothing but an imitation of teeth, I still have to undergo many surgeries. Fortunately, I have a light form of the disease, there are people with the same diagnosis who are doing far worse than I am.
Despite ongoing therapy and medical procedures, Gaten never felt his peers held his differences against him. The curly-haired, fun-loving boy with unique speech patterns and a wide, toothless smile was always easygoing.
Gaten and his family
Gaten and his family
Gaten's been passionate about movies since early childhood. Realizing he was different from typical movie actors and might never become his generation's heartthrob, he kept pushing toward the stage. At school, he tried to participate in every play, and after his family moved to New York, he appeared in an episode of The Blacklist and landed the role of Gavroche in the Broadway production of Les Miserables.

Thanks to the theater, Gaten met Caleb McLaughlin, and later on, fate would bring them together once again on the set of the project that would turn both of their lives around.

Quite the Stranger Things

Things were definitely getting strange for him compared to his peers. Gaten managed to turn what could have been sources of discomfort and insecurity into real assets, which Ross and Matt Duffer didn't take long to notice when they were holding auditions for their new series at the end of 2015.
Gaten's charm and love of life are bewitching
Gaten's charm and love of life are bewitching
When the Duffer Brothers met Gaten, they couldn't resist his charm and love of life. They even rewrote parts of the script to incorporate the young actor's unique characteristics.
Stranger Things: Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin
Stranger Things: Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin
In the series, Gaten played the role of fun-loving Dustin, one of three friends who get caught up in some seriously strange stuff, set in the town of Hawkins in the 80s. The teens start secretly investigating their friend's disappearance, but instead stumble across a mysterious bald girl in a hospital gown. Their new friend's name is Eleven and she's psychic. Meanwhile, a series of unexplainable events starts happening around town, and the kids soon realize that everything - the disappearance, the strange occurrences, and their new friend - is all connected.
Stranger Things – the trailer
Dustin's friends were played by Caleb McLaughlin and Finn Wolfhard, and Eleven was played by Millie Bobby Brown. The roles of adults, in the mystical story full of carefully adapted aesthetics of the 80s, were played by Winona Ryder, Matthew Modine, David Harbour, Paul Reiser, and others.
Gaten changed with the release of Season 2
Gaten changed with the release of Season 2
According to Zoomboola.com, in 2017, the actor made an appearance in Katy Perry's music video of Swish, Swish.
A still from Katy Perry's music video where Gaten made an appearance (second on the left)
A still from Katy Perry's music video where Gaten made an appearance (second on the left)

Gaten Matarazzo's personal life

Every single episode brought the series and the actors more and more fame. Some media outlets bluntly claimed that Gaten was being exploited because of his condition, which upset his parents but didn't faze him. Raising awareness and supporting other kids with the same condition became a huge part of his mission. Gaten says he wants to set an example for kids who are different and encourage them to embrace who they are.
Gaten Matarazzo and his girlfriend, Lizzy Yu
Gaten Matarazzo and his girlfriend, Lizzy Yu
While Gaten stays focused on filming, he still makes time for his personal life - in March 2019, he and girlfriend Lizzy Yu celebrated their one-year anniversary. She's an artist in musical theater and an Instablogger.

Gaten Matarazzo now

Filming wrapped on Stranger Things' third season back in fall 2018, but fans had to wait until July 2019 for the episodes to drop. Gaten's set to slip back into his character alongside his castmates. Beyond the returning cast, viewers will meet some new faces, including Francesca Reale, Maya Thurman Hawke (Uma Thurman's and Ethan Hawke's daughter).
Gaten has been dreaming about the big screen since early childhood
Gaten has been dreaming about the big screen since early childhood
One of Matarazzo's recent major projects was voicing Bubba in The Angry Birds Movie 2. He's also set to star in the drama Zach's Lie, though production hasn't begun yet. He's also lending his voice to a character in the upcoming animated film Hump.
Word is that Gaten's eyeing several major projects. He's continuing his advocacy work for teens with physical disabilities, and Time named him one of their Most Influential Teenagers who can change the world.
  • Gaten has a nice girl :) God grant these young people happiness. They are so positive and charming :)
    2021-05-01 16:32:08
  • How nice to see a picture of a beautiful, happy and complete family! How important is the support of loved ones to all of us. Matarazzo is definitely not deprived of the attention of parents :))
    2021-03-08 13:59:52
  • To be honest, I never noticed that something was wrong with Matarazzo. If I hadn`t read more about him. And this ailment is all little things
    2021-02-18 11:26:13
  • Nice guy Gaten Matarazzo. I believe in his acting, he is a great smart guy!
    2021-02-02 20:42:59
  • Gaten starred in Stranger Things. Even at such a young age, not everyone can play the role so talentedly.
    2021-01-15 11:14:43
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