All Of It — Gaten Matarazzo on Growing Up as Dustin on "Stranger Things"
Date: December 16, 2025<br>Host: David Fuerst (in for Alison Stewart), WNYC<br>Guest: Gaten Matarazzo
Episode Overview
This episode of WNYC’s "All Of It" is a cultural deep dive with Gaten Matarazzo, beloved for his role as Dustin Henderson on the hit series "Stranger Things." As the first half of the final season streams on Netflix (with the finale looming), David Fuerst interviews Gaten about his character’s emotional journey, camaraderie among the cast, his musical background, work in theater, advocacy work, and growing up as part of a cultural phenomenon.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
Dustin’s State of Mind in Season Five
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Emotional Shift:
Gaten describes Dustin as entering a darker, more troubled phase in Season 5, a dramatic change from his previously lighthearted persona.
Quote (01:18):"It's certainly a shift from what we'd seen from him in prior seasons ... I think a lot of kids who go through a grieving process tend to have a very dramatic, purposeful shift in the way that they behave or present themselves ... The more you love, the harder you grieve. And that's kind of a place he's been settling into, which is tough, tough to watch."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
Repairing the Past:
Dustin is grappling with the group’s first true defeat in Season 4 and is struggling to work toward recovery.
Quote (04:25):"We end season four in a very different situation where we clearly pretty much lost ... he shares a common goal of trying to pick up the pieces ... but he's doing so in a way that is quite inflammatory and not very productive ... they want to go about getting there in very different ways."
(Gaten Matarazzo)
The Cast Kids: Chemistry and Bonding
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Strong Connections from the Start:
The core cast’s dynamic was deliberately fostered early on, taking advantage of youthful openness to friendship.
Quote (06:00):"Kids are very good at going up to each other and just saying, can I be your friend?... creating a bit of a group that has a lot of chemistry ... is a lot easier to do at 12, I think."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
Prior Theater Bonds:
Gaten, Caleb McLaughlin, and Sadie Sink all knew each other from New York theater, which made their on-screen rapport seamless.
Quote (07:05):"Caleb and I already knew her (Sadie Sink) because of our prior work in the theater here in New York ... That made it easier."
(Gaten Matarazzo)
Audition Stories and Continuity
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Chemistry Reads Instead of Group Screen Tests:
The show’s creators used one-on-one chemistry reads, taking a leap of faith on group chemistry.
Quote (07:58):"We had chemistry reads more than anything ... I only read with Finn before being cast in the show ... The other actor who I would work with the most in season one was Caleb. And they didn't know that we had been buddies from our prior work in the theater."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
Professional Longevity as Dustin:
Gaten reflects on the rare opportunity to play the same character over nearly a decade—a meaningful experience spanning the actor’s and character’s formative years.
Quote (02:26):"It's incredibly rare and it's an absolute treat ... being able to play him through my formative years and through his formative years has been a real blessing that I'm gonna miss tremendously and already do."
(Gaten Matarazzo)
Musical Moments: The NeverEnding Story Scene
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The Iconic Song:
Recalling the unforgettable "NeverEnding Story" duet with ‘Susie’—a moment of comic, unexpected levity in the show’s plot.
Quote (11:34):"She (Susie) refuses to give him Planck's constant unless they sing their song together ... And he is being broadcasted to his entire friend group while it happens. It is horribly embarrassing."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
On the Scene’s Legacy:
Quote (13:12):"I'm entering a phase now where I can look at it less with embarrassment and more appreciation. I find it quite cute."
(Gaten Matarazzo)Quote (14:10):
"It's very unexpected and it's a very bold choice for the creators to go ... They always joked around with me that, like, 'We're gonna get you to sing in the show.' Just watch ... And I think it was just a way for them to prove ... they could find a way to have me sing in the show that didn't come across as just completely out of place. And it's insane that it works."
(Gaten Matarazzo)
Fans’ Questions and Memorable Exchanges
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On Playing ‘Darker’ Dustin (15:51):
Gaten relished the challenge of taking Dustin to new emotional places, all while preserving his recognizable traits.
Quote:"I wanted to be the guy that I had been for the past decade, just going through something else."
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Re-Entering Character (17:14):
It can be difficult to pick up Dustin’s arc after time away, especially as the time between seasons and the characters’ aging become less aligned."There's a lot that we ... learn that slowly. But jumping right back in and ... trying to figure out the context ... It's hard to make that feel nuanced and natural ... I really wanted it to feel specifically like Dustin."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
Bicycle Training Misadventures (19:53):
The cast didn’t really need bike lessons—they were already pros at age 12."All of us were completely fine ... So what was supposed to be bike training just ended up being us goofing off on a soundstage for a few hours ... The biggest concern is they wanted to make sure we knew how to ride our bikes very well because we weren't wearing helmets."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
80s Nostalgia – Arcade Games (21:12):
Gaten discovered a love for Galaga and Ms. Pac-Man while filming."We were able to figure out exactly what our favorite games were ... I took a liking to Galaga. I was pretty great at Ms. Pac man ... I'm terrible at Centipede."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
Real-Life vs. Character:
In earlier seasons, Gaten and Dustin shared much overlap, as writers molded Dustin around Gaten’s real persona.
Quote (23:47):"A lot of the show in the early process ... was just them writing around what they noticed in me ... There's a lot of overlap there. I think we both deflect our anxieties in trying to make people laugh and through our humor ... Over the course of time ... there's a bit more of a disconnect ... but there's a lot of overlap."
(Gaten Matarazzo)
Theater Aspirations and Band Stories
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Broadway Plans (08:24):
Gaten hopes to return to theater, though current schedules are a challenge."I would love to do something in the theater ... The hardest thing about getting on stage is finding the time to do it ... There are a few things that are very early on in the process, but I would love to be on a stage ... It's a resolution of mine."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
Family Band, "Work in Progress" (25:28):
Gaten reminisces about playing music with friends and family, including his sister."It was just ... not something that I gravitated towards naturally or anything I didn't have. I don't think it's something that I naturally do very, very well, but I had fun doing it."
Advocacy: CCD Smiles (26:34)
- Personal Connection:
Gaten explains his advocacy for CCD Smiles, a nonprofit supporting those with cleidocranial dysplasia—a rare condition he has."The quarterback of this is Dr. Kelly Wasnick. She has a condition herself ... developing an organization ... never really had a platform ... there's no consensus of care. And that's the biggest goal with CCD Smiles."
"Now we've built a community ... and now we can ... ensure that people don't have to feel anxious when approaching the beginning of care, which happens in childhood."
(Gaten Matarazzo)
On Legacy, Nostalgia, and New Jersey Roots
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Looking Forward (29:09):
Gaten hopes the show herds in "nostalgia on nostalgia"—encouraging future generations to experience "Stranger Things" as a comfort show."I would love for people who are around my age who grew up with the show to be able to show their kids and talk about how much fun they had watching it ... I hope it's a comfort show for people. I hope that it feels good to watch because it feels good to make."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
New Jersey Pride (30:31):
Gaten traces his roots to Little Egg Harbor Township and relishes both his South Jersey and New York connections."Sometimes people tell me my jersey comes out, especially when I get frustrated ... it's more of a Philly-adjacent type accent."
(Gaten Matarazzo)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Losing in Season 4 (03:53):
"We end season four in a very different situation where we clearly pretty much lost. And that's rare and new."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
On Iconic Musical Moment (13:12):
"I'm entering a phase now where I can look at it less with embarrassment and more appreciation. I find it quite cute."
(Gaten Matarazzo) -
On Cycling Training (19:53):
"We showed up on the first day and all of us were completely fine on the bike ... what was supposed to be bike training just ended up being us goofing off on a soundstage for a few hours."
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On Passing Dustin Down Through Generations (29:18):
"I hope it's a comfort show for people. I hope that it feels good to watch because it feels good to make."
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:07 — Introduction and welcome
- 01:18 — Dustin’s new emotional arc, grief, and character development
- 02:23 — What it’s been like growing up alongside Dustin
- 03:53 — The aftermath of Season Four and group dynamics in Season Five
- 05:58 — Why the main cast chemistry works
- 07:24 — Audition stories and chemistry reads
- 08:24 — Theater and Broadway ambitions
- 09:32 — Gaten’s path into acting and early musical influences
- 11:04 — The "NeverEnding Story" scene’s origins and legacy
- 15:51 — Playing 'darker' Dustin and how it felt
- 17:14 — The challenge of re-entering character after long breaks
- 19:53 — Bike training anecdotes
- 21:12 — Discovering 80s arcade games through the show
- 23:47 — How much Gaten is like Dustin in real life
- 25:28 — The family band "Work in Progress"
- 26:34 — CCD Smiles advocacy and rare disease awareness
- 29:09 — Hopes for the show’s legacy and future nostalgia
- 30:31 — South Jersey roots and local pride
Conclusion
This episode offers a revealing, warm, and humorous portrait of Gaten Matarazzo as both an actor and a young man intimately shaped by his iconic "Stranger Things" role. Listener engagement, behind-the-scenes stories, and Gaten’s own authenticity and advocacy coalesce into a thoughtful discussion on growing up in the spotlight, processing real and fictional grief, and the enduring power of friendship—on screen and off.
“I hope it’s a comfort show for people. I hope that it feels good to watch because it feels good to make.”
— Gaten Matarazzo (29:18)