Gaten Matarazzo
Biography
Gaten John Matarazzo III is an American actor and singer born on September 8, 2002, in New Haven, Connecticut. Before Stranger Things, he performed on Broadway in productions of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Les Miserables as a child actor.
Matarazzo became widely recognized for his role as Dustin Henderson in the Netflix series Stranger Things (2016-2025). His charismatic, comedic performance as the nerdy, toothless member of the friend group made Dustin one of the show's most beloved characters. Matarazzo has cleidocranial dysplasia, a condition that affects bone and teeth development, which was written into his character.
Beyond Stranger Things, Matarazzo hosted the Netflix prank series Prank Encounters (2019-2021) and has continued his theater work. He has been an outspoken advocate for raising awareness about cleidocranial dysplasia and has used his platform to educate fans about the condition.
Known For
Other Notable Roles
- Host of Prank Encounters (2019-2021)
- Gavroche in Les Miserables (Broadway)
- Benjamin in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Broadway)
Awards & Recognition
- 🏆 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series (Stranger Things)
- 🏆 Young Artist Award Nomination for Best Performance in a Digital Series
Frequently Asked Questions
Gaten Matarazzo is best known for playing Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things (2016-2025).
Yes, Matarazzo has cleidocranial dysplasia, a condition affecting bone development. This was written into his character Dustin on Stranger Things.
Yes, he appeared in Broadway productions of Les Miserables and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert before Stranger Things.