One of the "Stranger Things" Kids on the Show's Humble Beginnings
“Stranger Things” star Gaten Matarazzo recalled one of the first premieres of the hit Netflix show.
“Like three people” showed up, he told Cheddar, and “the only thing they asked was, ‘How’s Winona?’”
He said the 1980s-set sci-fi drama, whose biggest star Winona Ryder had been largely out of the Hollywood spotlight for about two decades, was initially rejected by major networks that thought it was nothing more than a kids show.
But the surprising popularity of “Stranger Things,” which is now preparing for production of its third season, runs parallel to Matarazzo’s own unexpected rise to fame.
The 15-year-old who plays Dustin suffers from Cleidocranial Dysplasia (CCD), a genetic condition that impacts bone development. He was born without a collarbone.
“I only have a tiny little piece of one,” he said.
Matarazzo said the abnormality led to many rejections. But when he auditioned for this part, it became “one of the sellers that gave me the role in the first place.”
“They want the characters to be relatable [and] unique, of course, and realistic.”
Now, he tries to raise awareness for the condition.
“I have a very mild case of it...a lot of people have it a lot harder than I do,” he said.
And if his filming schedule weren’t enough, Matarazzo is part of a rock band, “Work In Progress,” which will be performing at West Hollywood’s Troubadour next month.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/stranger-things-star-gaten-matarazzo-on-shows-surprising-success).
Jeopardy! had to change up the top of its list of consecutive games winners after contestant Matt Amodio won his 33rd straight game. Amodio, who passed former champ James Holzhauer, is now only second to 2004's 74-win-streak champ Ken Jennings and has so far collected $1.26 million.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Cheddar is highlighting Flor de Maria Rivera and her eponymous shoe line Flor de Maria. She joined Cheddar’s "Closing Bell” to talk about her rise in the shoe industry and the cultural influences of her background that inspired various shoe designs. "If you stay consistent, if you work hard, you follow your dreams, if you work extremely hard, then you can pretty much accomplish anything you want," the entrepreneur and immigrant from Peru said.
Netflix is riding high on the success of the new series from South Korea, “Squid Game,” after it hit number one in more than 90 countries. The brutal drama about down-on-their-luck people competing in a series of violent kids' games, could become the streaming platform’s biggest hit in its history.
Jeff Bezos' space travel company Blue Origin is under fire after a group of 20 current and former employees signed a letter to the FAA claiming safety violations that were detailed along with accusations of sexual harassment.
Charlie Javice, Founder of Frank, joins ChedHER to discuss everything you should have prepared when you go to fill out your FAFSA, and how its acquisition by JPMorgan Chase is going to help reach more students.
Makena Kelly, Politics reporter at The Verge, joined Cheddar News to break down Thursday's congressional testimony from Facebook's global head of security, as the company comes under fire for its plans to attract kids.
