Gaten Matarazzo

Gaten Matarazzo (born Gaetano John Matarazzo III on September 8, 2002, in New London, Connecticut) is an American actor who grew up in New Jersey. He began his career on Broadway, playing Benjamin in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (2011–12) and Gavroche in Les Misérables (2014–15).

Matarazzo gained international recognition for playing Dustin Henderson in Netflix’s Stranger Things, which premiered in 2016. He was born with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD), a rare genetic condition affecting bone and teeth development — a trait later written into his Stranger Things character as well.

Beyond acting, Matarazzo hosted and executive produced the Netflix hidden camera series Prank Encounters beginning in 2019. He returned to Broadway in 2022, joining the final cast of Dear Evan Hansen as Jared Kleinman, and later appeared in Thomas Kail’s revival of Sweeney Todd as Toby Ragg alongside Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford. He also starred as Frankie Epps in the well-received concert/staged production of the musical Parade at New York City Center.

He has also pursued voice acting, including Boris the dragon in My Father’s Dragon and Bubba in The Angry Birds Movie 2.

Matarazzo actively uses his platform to raise awareness of CCD and fundraise for CCD Smiles, an organization that helps cover the costs of oral surgeries for people with the condition.