“It definitely affected me a lot”: Stranger Things Star Caleb McLaughlin Reveals Fans Didn’t Want to Meet Him Because He Was Black, Claims He Has Less Followers Than His Co-stars Because of Racism

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Racism has been prevalent in TV shows and series for a long time. Caleb McLaughlin, most notably known for portraying the role of Lucas Sinclair in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things opened up about the experience he received due to the color of his skin.

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The actor spoke at the Heroes Comic Con Belgium and told about how it affected him when he was a little kid. The actor has since then found much support as the people fought back against the racist behavior that many people show.

Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair in Stranger Things (2016-).
Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair in Stranger Things (2016-).

Caleb McLaughlin Opens Up About His Experience

Speaking at the Heroes Comic Con Belgium, the actor spoke about his experience while dealing with racism. The actor went on to reveal that he received hate even back when he was just a kid when the first season of Stranger Things premiered in 2016.

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Caleb McLaughlin was 14 years old when Stranger Things premiered (2016-).
Caleb McLaughlin was 14 years old when Stranger Things premiered (2016-).

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“It definitely took a toll on me as a younger kid. My very first Comic-Con, some people didn’t stand in my line because I was Black. Some people told me, ‘Oh I didn’t want to be in your line because you were mean to Eleven.’

The Concrete Cowboy actor continued,

Even now some people don’t follow me or don’t support me because I’m Black. Sometimes overseas you feel the racism, you feel the bigotry. Sometimes it’s hard to talk about and for people to understand, but when I was younger it definitely affected me a lot.”

Adding salt to the wound, he also stated that he has fewer followers than his fellow co-stars such as Noah Schnapp or Finn Wolfhard all because he, in his words, “was born with this beautiful chocolate skin”

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Caleb McLaughlin’s Bravery Made Others Speak

Other actors along with Caleb McLaughlin also opened up about their experiences.
Other actors along with Caleb McLaughlin also opened up about their experiences.

You might also like to read: ‘A Rich Black Guy? Seems Very Hard For People to Swallow’: House of the Dragon Star Steve Toussaint Calls Racist Game of Thrones Fans “Toxic” for Demeaning Representation

In the Heroes Comic Con Belgium, the talk of racism was one of the major points in the discussion of these sensitive issues in the Hollywood industry. Many movies and series are facing a lot of backlash because the lead actor is a person of color.

Steve Touissant, who portrays the character of Corlys Velaryon in House of the Dragon, and Ismael Enrique Cruz Córdova who portrays Arondir in the Rings of Power also spoke about their experiences as well which included hate-filled messages and racist comments. Caleb McLaughlin will be once again seen donning the clothes of Lucas Sinclair when Stranger Things returns for its 5th and (allegedly) final season.

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Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix.

Suggested: Everything That Is Known About Stranger Things Season 5 So Far

Source: Entertainment Weekly

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Written by Visarg Acharya

Articles Published: 2013

Visarg Acharya, Associate Content Writer, has been heavily involved in movies, series, and history. Having an experience of 2 years in the field of content writing, Visarg is a seasoned writer. Having a degree in Physics, Visarg Acharya has published a dissertation alongside a plethora of poems and short stories along the way.