Gaten Matarazzo says ‘Stranger Things’ fan in her 40s hit on him

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Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo says a mother in her 40s told him that she had a “crush” on him when he was 13 years old.

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The actor, who is now 21, was recounting odd fan encounters in an interview with the Inside of You podcast with Michael Rosenbaum and said that it was “insane” to hear one woman tell him about her feelings in front of her daughter.

“I did (have) one very recently — and this is not very funny, but the reactions around it were quite funny — where this woman in her 40s said straight up, ‘I’ve had a crush on you since you were 13,’” Matarazzo said (via Us Weekly). “And I was like, ‘That’s upsetting.’ I’m sure she just meant, ‘Aw, this kid’s cute.’ But then she doubled down.”

According to Matarazzo, the woman acknowledged their age gap in their brief conversation, but was comfortable telling him about her feelings.

“She was like, ‘I’m aware of the age difference.’ And then I was like, ‘Alright,’” he continued. “And her daughter was with her, and her daughter goes, ‘Mom, what the f—?’ I swear to God.”

Surprisingly, that wasn’t the only strange interaction Matarazzo has had with fans.

“I’ve had a few butt grabs for sure,” he said.

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Elsewhere in his chat, Matarazzo spoke about the explosion of fame he’s lived with as one of the stars of Netflix’s Stranger Things and told Rosenbaum that he’s aware that the sci-fi drama might be the biggest thing he acts in.

“With this show it is quite clear and I am very well aware — and would like my professional team — to understand that I am very OK with Stranger Things being very likely the biggest thing I will ever do,” Matarazzo said on the podcast. “And it will most likely be the thing I am remembered for even if I consistently work after this.

“And I am so cool with that as long as it facilitates happiness going forward, security and more work going forward,” he continued. “What more could I ask for? I don’t want to maintain a sense of relevance at this point when it isn’t even something I particularly enjoy that much.”

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