Gaten Matarazzo | Age, Girlfriend, Career & Condition
Gaten Matarazzo is an American actor and singer best known for playing Dustin Henderson in Netflix’s Stranger Things. He began performing in musical theater as a child and later returned to Broadway and London stages.
He is also known for speaking openly about cleidocranial dysplasia, a genetic condition that affects bone and tooth development, and for supporting people who live with the same condition.
Who Is Gaten Matarazzo?
Gaten Matarazzo is an American performer whose work includes television, film, voice acting, and musical theater. His role as Dustin made him widely known, while his stage career and health advocacy show a broader side of his work.
| Quick fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Gaten Matarazzo; also widely listed as Gaetano John Matarazzo III |
| Date of birth | September 8, 2002 |
| Age in October 2026 | 24 |
| Birthplace | Public databases differ between New London, Connecticut, and Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey |
| Raised in | Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey |
| Nationality and heritage | American; Italian-American heritage is commonly reported |
| Occupation | Actor, singer, and producer |
| Best known for | Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things |
| Condition | Cleidocranial dysplasia, often shortened to CCD |
| Partner | Actress Elizabeth Yu, his longtime girlfriend |
| Reported height | Often listed at about 5 feet 4.5 inches (1.64 meters); not an official measurement |
How old is Gaten Matarazzo, and where is he from?
Gaten Matarazzo was born on September 8, 2002, and turned 24 in September 2026. He grew up in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, where he developed an interest in acting and singing.
Some entertainment databases list his birthplace as New London, Connecticut, while others list Little Egg Harbor Township, so public records are not fully consistent on that detail.
Matarazzo attended Pinelands Regional High School while continuing to audition and perform. He has Italian-American heritage, which is often noted in biographies about him. His early training in musical theater helped prepare him for roles that require both acting and singing.
Who are Gaten Matarazzo’s parents and family?
Matarazzo’s parents are Heather and Gaetano Matarazzo, and he has an older sister, Sabrina, and a younger brother, Carmen. His family supported his interest in performing while managing the practical demands of auditions and travel.
His parents worked nights and held several jobs to help support his early career. After his mother lost her job, she became more directly involved in accompanying him to auditions and work. Music was part of family life, and Matarazzo has credited his sister’s singing with helping inspire his interest in musical theater.
What condition does Gaten Matarazzo have, and how does it affect his teeth and collarbones?
Matarazzo has cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD), a rare genetic condition that affects the development of bones and teeth. The condition can cause underdeveloped or absent collarbones, delayed growth of adult teeth, extra teeth, and other differences in bone development.
Matarazzo has described his own case as mild, although he has undergone multiple surgeries related to the condition. CCD can affect how teeth form and emerge, but it does not simply mean a person has no teeth.
Matarazzo has had dental treatment, while the details of his current dental care remain personal and are not fully public.
The Stranger Things writers included CCD in Dustin Henderson’s story, allowing the character to explain the condition on screen. Matarazzo has also helped raise awareness through CCD Smiles, a nonprofit formed with support from his family in 2017. The organization helps people with CCD access support for oral surgery and related care.
How tall is Gaten Matarazzo?
Gaten Matarazzo is commonly listed at about 5 feet 4.5 inches, or 1.64 meters. This figure comes from entertainment profiles rather than a widely available official measurement, so it is best treated as a reported listing.
How did Gaten Matarazzo become famous on Stranger Things?
Matarazzo became internationally known for playing Dustin Henderson, one of the young friends at the center of Stranger Things. The first season premiered in 2016, when he was 13, and his performance helped make Dustin a fan favorite through the show’s mix of humor, loyalty, curiosity, and courage.
Dustin’s story also reflected Matarazzo’s real experience with CCD. That choice gave viewers a simple introduction to the condition without making it the only part of the character’s identity. The series ran for five seasons and concluded with its final episodes at the end of 2025, closing a major chapter in Matarazzo’s career.
What are Gaten Matarazzo’s movies and TV shows?
Matarazzo has worked in scripted television, comedy, live action films, and voice acting. His best-known screen credits include the following:
- The Blacklist (2015): His screen acting debut, in which he played Finn.
- Stranger Things (2016 to 2025): Dustin Henderson, the role that brought him global recognition.
- Prank Encounters (2019 to 2021): Host and executive producer of the hidden camera series.
- The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019), Honor Society (2022), and My Father’s Dragon (2022): Voice work as Bubba and Boris, plus the role of Michael Dipnicky in Honor Society.
- Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain (2023) and LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy (2024 to 2025): A film cameo and the voice of Sig Greebling.
- Animal Farm (2025) and Pizza Movie (2026): Voice work as Lucky and a starring role as Jack; he also served as an executive producer on Pizza Movie.
In 2026, Matarazzo also filmed Octet, an upcoming a cappella film from Lin-Manuel Miranda about phone addiction, based on Dave Malloy’s stage work. The project points to his continued interest in combining screen acting with music.
What did Gaten Matarazzo do on Broadway and in musicals?
Matarazzo built his career in musical theater before Stranger Things made him a television star. His stage roles have given him room to use his singing voice and take on characters very different from Dustin.
- Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: Made his Broadway debut as Benji in 2011, at about nine years old.
- Les Misérables: Played Gavroche on tour and later on Broadway, as well as Petit Gervais in the production.
- Dear Evan Hansen: Joined the Broadway cast as Jared Kleinman in 2022.
- Sweeney Todd: Played Tobias Ragg in the 2023 Broadway revival, not the title character.
- Rent: In 2026, returned to musical theater as Mark Cohen in the West End production in London, scheduled to run through March 27, 2027.
His return to the stage reflects a career that started in theater rather than a new move away from television. The London production of Rent is a major step because it marks his West End debut and places him in a musical he admired when he was younger.
Why did Gaten Matarazzo sing ‘The NeverEnding Story’?
Matarazzo sang ‘The NeverEnding Story’ with Suzie in the season three finale of Stranger Things. Their duet delays Dustin while he tries to get a crucial number from her, and the scene turns the theme song from the 1984 fantasy film into an unexpected comic moment.
The performance became one of the show’s most talked-about musical scenes. It also gave audiences a clear reminder that Matarazzo had years of singing and stage experience before becoming known as Dustin.
Who is Gaten Matarazzo dating, and is he married?
As of October 2026, Matarazzo is publicly known to be dating actress Elizabeth Yu, and there is no reliable public report that he is married. The couple began dating in 2018, when they were both 15, after meeting as teenagers in New Jersey.
Yu is an actor whose credits include Somewhere in Queens, May December, and Netflix’s live action Avatar: The Last Airbender, in which she plays Princess Azula. In a 2026 interview, Matarazzo said that communication helped their relationship through periods of long distance.
He also clarified that they live near each other rather than in the same home.
What is Gaten Matarazzo’s net worth?
Gaten Matarazzo’s exact net worth has not been confirmed in a reliable public financial disclosure. Online estimates vary and should not be treated as verified figures.
His professional income has come from television, films, voice acting, theater, producing, and commercial work. Without audited financial information or a direct statement from Matarazzo, assigning a precise net worth would be guesswork.
Gaten Matarazzo plays Dustin Henderson, the group’s curious science lover, alongside Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, and Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair. The older cast includes David Harbour as Jim Hopper, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, and Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, and Days Magazine has a full biography of each of them.
Conclusion
Gaten Matarazzo is an actor and singer whose career spans Stranger Things, Broadway musicals, film, and voice work. His return to the stage in Rent shows that musical theater remains central to his work, while his support for CCD Smiles gives his public platform a purpose beyond entertainment.
