Gaten Matarazzo

Gaten Matarazzo is an actor best known for playing Dustin Henderson in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, in addition to multiple stage credits.

Born Gaetano John Matarazzo on September 8, 2002, Matarazzo was raised in New Jersey, where he started training early in vocal performance. He made his Broadway debut at age 9 playing Benjamin in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. In 2012, he played Jesus in a special youth performance of Godspell at the Circle in the Square Theatre. He was cast in the Les Misérables U.S. tour as Gavroche in 2013, and the following year, he played the role in the Tony-nominated Broadway revival.

With his Broadway career off to a strong start at a young age, Matarazzo then dove into screen work. He was cast as Dustin in the Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things, which met massive critical acclaim and mainstream success when it premiered in 2016. The role led him to host a different Netflix series, Prank Encounters, from 2019 to 2021.

It wasn’t long before Matarazzo returned to the stage, playing Jack in the 2019 production of Into the Woods at the Hollywood Bowl. In 2022, he returned to Broadway to join the final cast of Dear Evan Hansen, playing Jared Kleinman. Later that year, he also was part of a limited-run production of Parade at New York City Center.

During this time, Matarazzo also made his film debut (aside from voice acting work in The Angry Birds Movie 2) in the Paramount+ movie Honor Society.

In 2023, Matarazzo returned to Broadway once more to play Tobias in the Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford-led Sweeney Todd revival.