Gaten Matarazzo has recalled what he jokingly described as unfair treatment on the Stranger Things set.
In a new chat with GQ Magazine, the actor addressed fan speculation about whether Dustin might feel jealous seeing Steve Harrington form a new bond with Derek (played by Jake Connelly) in the later seasons.
“Although, we do see that Steve is now coaching Derek (Jake Connelly). Do we worry that Dustin would be jealous of that new bond?” Matarazzo laughed before answering.
“No, I don’t think so.”
However, the conversation quickly turned playful as the actor reflected on how certain lines were handled on set, and how the rules seemed to change over time.
“Jake got so many great lines, and Jake’s favorite thing to say ended up being, ‘S*** my fat one,’ which I thought was so incredibly vulgar for a 12-year-old to say. Like, the implication is insane!” he joked.
Matarazzo then compared that moment to his own experience in an earlier season.
“In season four, I remember I riffed a line to Maya [Hawke], ‘You’re a d***,’ and they were like, ‘Whoa! You can’t say that.’ I’m like, ‘Oh s***, okay, I won’t say that,’” he recalled.
“And then the next season, they have a 12-year-old saying, ‘S*** my fat one,’ and I’m like, ‘You let him say that and you wouldn’t let me call her a d***?!’”
Clearly amused, Matarazzo wrapped up the moment with a laugh, adding, “And so I have a gripe there, and I would like that to be known.”
