Stranger Things' Gaten Matarazzo undergoes fourth surgery for rare condition
He's suffered from genetic disorder Cleidocranial dysplasia since birth
Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo, who plays the role of Dustin Henderson in the popular Netflix show, has revealed to fans he's back in hospital to undergo a fourth surgery for genetic disorder Cleidocranial dysplasia.
The 17-year-old shared a selfie from his hospital bed on Instagram, writing, 'Surgery number 4! This is a big one! To learn more about Cleidocranial Dysplasia and how you can help those with the condition you can go to ccdsmiles.org.' sic
Gaten's Stranger Things co-star Millie Bobby Brown commented on the post, writing, 'Good luck love!!! sending my love gate ❤️'. sic Matty Cardarople added, 'You’re super brave and strong man. Good vibes to you. 🍕'. sic
Actor Brady Noon wrote, 'Good luck man hope all goes well 👍🏼', with Sierra Boggess adding, 'Thinking of you!!! Here’s some 🕸 just for you 😉 ♥️♥️♥️♥️'. sic
Cleidocranial dysplasia is a rare condition that "primarily affects development of the bones and teeth. Signs and symptoms of cleidocranial dysplasia can vary widely in severity, even within the same family."
Gaten has starred in the popular sci-fi show since season one aired back in 2016, playing the role of Dustin Henderson, the best friend of Will Byers.
During an interview on The Jonathon Ross show when the series first arrived on Netflix, Gaten spoke about his condition, telling the host, "It affects your facial growth, your skull growth; it affects your teeth, so that's why I don't have any."
See all of the Stranger Things cast below:
Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers
Joyce is the mum of Will and Jonathan Byers, she is divorced and in the second season starts to date her old high school classmate Bob, played by Sean Astin. Following Bob's tragic death, she develops a more romantic relationship with Sheriff Jim Hopper.
Winona Ryder needs little introduction, famed for her range of diverse roles over the years, in huge titles such as Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, Heathers, and Girl, Interrupted.
David Harbour as Jim Hopper
Jim is the chief at the local police station, he is divorced and had a young daughter who died of cancer. He has a connection with Joyce, and adopted Eleven at the end of season two, serving from there-on as a father figure for her.
David Harbour has led an incredibly successful acting career over the decades, known for his roles in titles such as Q-Force, Pan Am, Quantum of Solace, Revolutionary Road and End of Watch.
Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler
Mike is one of Will's friends, the brother to Nancy and Holly, and son of Karen and Ted. He later develops feelings for Eleven and they become boyfriend and girlfriend.
Despite starring in the show from such a young age, Finn had featured in many titles before Stranger Things, however it's fair to say the show shot him to stardom. He has since featured in the huge film franchise Ghostbusters, as well as the revamped supernatural horror film IT, and its sequel. He's also a talented musician, currently playing in a band named The Aubreys.
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven
When Eleven first appears in the series she has just escaped from Hawkins Laboratory, she has a shaven head and is very scared, however it's clear she has some sort of unusual powers. It is later revealed that her real name is Jane and she meets her mother, who was left catatonic by the scientists at the lab. She is adopted by Hopper, with her powers and battles with the Upside Down being the centre of Stranger Things' plot.
Millie Bobby Brown has achieved huge success in her years, starring in the Enola Holmes films, and even having producer credits on a number of titles. More recent projects include her roles in Damsel and The Electric State. On top of that, Millie also launched her own beauty brand, called florence by mills.
Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson
Dustin is another of Will's friends. He has leidocranial dysplasia which causes him to lisp, however in the second season he is very proud of the two front teeth he developed. Dustin causes havoc in season two after adopting one of the Demogorgon creatures as a pet, however thanks to teaming up with Steve Harrington in a heart-warming friendship, becomes invaluable in the gang's fighting force.
Gaten had a musical background prior to starring in Stranger Things, and following his starring role landed his own show called Prank Encounters - a hidden-camera prank show. He has also appeared in films such as Honor Society and Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain - as well as, who could forget, appearing in Katy Perry's iconic music video for her 2017 single 'Swish Swish'.
Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair
Lucas is also a friend of Will's. When he first meets Eleven he is very skeptical, but later starts to trust her. He later develops a relationship with season two newbie Max, before things take a sour turn. Caleb also has a younger sister, Erica, who quickly became a fan-favourite after her introduction in season two.
Prior to Stranger Things, Caleb featured in TV series such as Shades of Blue and The New Edition Story, and has since appeared in films such as Shooting Stars and The Book of Clarence.
Noah Schnapp as Will Byers
Will Byers is Jonathan's younger brother and Joyce's other son. At the beginning of the first season he is captured and ends up disappearing into the Upside Down. Thankfully, he's rescued, but he has to face even worse problems in the second season as he becomes possessed by the creatures. Despite the gang seemingly getting things back on track, Will's connection to the Upside Down continues to trouble him in following seasons.
Noah Schnapp was widely praised for his outstanding performance in the series, picking up plenty of awards along the way. He has appeared in other titles such as Waiting for Anya, Abe and Bridge of Spies, as well as continuing with his studies as the actor headed off to the University of Pennsylvania in 2021. Noah shared a heartwarming video to his TikTok, where he documented the moment he and his family read his University acceptance letter.
Sadie Sink as Maxine 'Max' Mayfield
Max was a new character for season two, initially joining the friendship group at the invitation of Lucas and Dustin, but Mike rejects her as he's missing Eleven, who has disappeared. She's also bullied relentlessly by her cruel step-brother, Billy. By the end of the season, they're all friends and Max begins a relationship with Lucas. Throughout the seasons, we see Max's character develop, as she suffers the horrifying loss of her brother Billy, before falling victim to Vecna and being left in a coma.
Sadie Sink featured in a number of TV shows and films, before her breakout role in Stranger Things. Previous titles include shows such as Odyssey, and films such as The Bleeder and The Glass Castle. Since appearing in the show, Sadie landed a lead role in the horror film franchise Fear Street, as well as other films such as The Whale, with Brendan Fraser, and A Sacrifice. Sadie also appeared in the short-film music video for Taylor Swift's 'All Too Well (10 Minute Version)', alongside Dylan O'Brien, Shawn Levy and Taylor herself.
Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler
Nancy is Mike and Holly's older sister. In the first season she becomes Steve Harrington's girlfriend, but by the season season they have split up and she starts going out with Jonathan Byers, and the pair work together to try and expose Hawkins Laboratory. Nancy becomes a rather fiery character, becoming a valuable player as she helps the gang in their ongoing fight against Vecna.
Natalia Dyer has featured in numerous TV shows and films throughout her career - starting off with a small role in the huge 2009 hit Hannah Montana: The Movie. Other titles you may recognise her from include Based on a True Story, Things Heard & Seen, Summer of '72 and Yes, God, Yes. In 2023, she appeared alongside Asa Butterfield in the horror film All Fun and Games.
Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers
Jonthan is Will's older brother and Joyce's son. He is a quiet teenager and not part of the popular group, often picked on by Steve Harrington and his gang. In season two, however, we see him come out of his shell more as he starts to date Nancy.
Having appeared in British drama series such as DCI Banks, Vera and Casualty, English actor Charlie Heaton also appeared in films such as Rise of the Footsoldier Part II, Shut In and As You Are. Since his huge role in Stranger Things, he has appeared in films such as The New Mutants, No Future and The Souvenir: Part II.
Joe Keery as Steve Harrington
Steve started off as something of a baddie in the first season, after he took Nancy's rejection quite hard. However, he was the hero of the second season, looking after the younger group and being a mentor to Dustin. This continued in further seasons, with him becoming a close friend - if not member - of the gang, and a true fan-favourite.
Joe Keery appeared in a few titles prior to Stranger Things, however his portrayal as Steve is widely considered his breakout role. His quirky and charismatic performances landed him numerous roles on the big screen, including Death to 2020 and Death to 2021, Spree and Free Guy. He is also a talented musician, releasing music under the alias Djo - in 2024, his track 'End of Beginning' benefited the 'TikTok effect', going viral and topping UK charts, as well as going Platinum in the US and being certified Gold in the UK.
Dacre Montgomery as Billy Hargrove
Billy joined the cast in season 2 with his step-sister Max. Billy is something of a villain on the show as he is constantly bullying Max, and even comes to blows with Nancy, Jonathan and Steve. By the end of the series, we realise that he's the way he is because he's bullied by his father. Billy becomes possessed by the Mind Flayer in season three, and at the end of the season we see him try and fight back, fighting the monster and refusing to kill Eleven, however this results in the Spider Monster killing him.
Dacre is an Australian actor, who trained in theatre and appeared in various short films before his breakthrough projects in 2017 - superhero film Power Rangers, and his role as Billy in Stranger Things. Introduced in season two of the show, his performance as Billy garnered critical acclaim, later seeing the actor land roles in films such as The Broken Hearts Gallery and Elvis.
Matthew Modine as Dr Martin Brenner
Martin is the lead scientist at Hawkins Laboratory who is searching for Eleven, with her referring to her as 'Papa'. Dr Martin resurfaces throughout the seasons, pinned as the baddie of the show.
Matthew has led a fruitful career, playing a range of versatile roles. Gaining widespread recognition for his role in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, his career boasts a diverse range of films, such as Birdy, The Dark Knight Rises, Short Cuts, Married to the Mob, Cutthroat Island and Pacific Heights. In the world of TV, he has appeared in titles such as And the Band Played On, Weeds, Proof and Sanctuary. Away from his career on the screen, in a sweet turn, Matthew also officiated his co-star Millie Bobby Brown's marriage to Jake Bongiovi - the son of the world-famous Jon Bon Jovi.
Maya Hawke as Robin
Joining Stranger Things in season three, Robin works with Steve at his summer job at the ice cream shop, in the Hawkins shopping mall. Despite Steve feeling a romantic connection with her, the pair quickly become best friends when she tells him she likes girls. Robin quickly became a fan favourite, and continues to help the gang with the twists and turns they experience from the Upside Down.
Maya is the talented daughter of actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. Although it wasn't her first acting job, Stranger Things was her largest role to date when she joined the cast in 2019, going on to feature in films such as Do Revenge, alongside Camila Mendes, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood and Fear Street: Part One - 1994. In 2024, Maya voiced the character Anxiety in Disney's Inside Out 2, which went on to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time globally.
Grace Van Dien as Chrissy
Introduced in season four, Chrissy is the head cheerleader at Hawkins' High, which non-surprisingly makes her the most popular, picture-perfect girl in school. Despite this, we quickly see that beneath the surface she has a dark secret. In attempt to suppress her disturbing visions, she befriends Eddie Munson, however we quickly see Chrissy fall victim to Vecna.
On top of her role in Stranger Things, Chrissy is recognised for her lead/recurring roles in films and TV shows such as The Binge and The Village. She also landed roles in Charlie Says, alongside Matt Smith, Chace Crawford and Suki Waterhouse, as well as Netflix's Greenhouse Academy.
Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson
We were introduced to the quirky Eddie Munson in season four, and it didn't take long for him to become a show favourite. A rather complex, and largely misunderstood character, Eddie is a metalhead outcast, who is also the leader of the school's Dungeons & Dragons club, Hellfire. With Chrissy being killed by Vecna in Eddie's trailer, the town turns on him and begins to hunt him down, thinking he was involved in her death. It becomes clear that beneath his rebellious exterior, Eddie is actually a loyal and protective character, who joins the gang in their mission to battle the supernatural threats that face Hawkins. Sadly, Eddie faces a cruel fate in the Upside Down while protecting his friends.
Joseph Quinn's portrayal of Eddie Munson gained him worldwide recognition, however that's not to say he didn't lead a fruitful career in acting beforehand. Joseph built a solid foundation in the industry with his roles in TV series such as Dickensian, Howards End, and Les Misérables. Since appearing in the show as Eddie, he has bagged huge roles in films such as A Quiet Place: Day One and Hoard.
Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna/Subject 001/Henry Creel
In season four, we were introduced to the seemingly innocent Peter Ballard, who works in Hawkins Lab and is kind to Eleven, before his character takes a sinister turn. After then being introduced to the Creel family, who used to occupy an eery home the gang are visiting, it is revealed that Peter is actually Henry Creel - the young boy with extraordinary, dark powers who became the subject of Dr. Brenner's experiments - dubbed Subject 001. Consumed by hatred, Henry goes mad and later becomes the villainous Vecna - who goes on to terrorize Hawkins. A complex character, indeed.
The talented Jamie Campbell Bower portrays the character, who you may recognise from his 2007 feature film debut in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Other high profile titles Jamie has featured in include The Twilight Saga, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. A talented musician, Jamie has also released his own music - with his track 'I Am' dropping shortly after the release of Stranger Things season four.
We wish Gaten a speedy recovery! ❤️