Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Caleb McLaughlin Powerfully Calls Out Racism From 'Stranger Things' Fans: 'It's Hard To Talk About'

Caleb McLaughlin Powerfully Calls Out Racism From 'Stranger Things' Fans: 'It's Hard To Talk About'
Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images

Netflix's Stranger Things became one of the hottest shows streaming, rocketing its young cast to stardom. Playing Lucas Sinclair was a big break for actor Caleb McLaughlin.

But the experience hasn't been without its drawbacks.


The actor spoke out about the racist abuse he received from fans of the show.

During a discussion at the Heroes Comic Con Belgium event this week, McLaughlin described how racism impacted his experience of being on the series in ways big and small.

See his comments below.

Many Black stars have been subjected to racist attacks.

Halle Bailey faced torrents of abuse since the announcement she will play Ariel in the upcoming DisneyThe Little Mermaid live-action remake, as has Leah Sava Jeffries, who is playing a lead character in the Disney+ adaptation of the Percy Jackson young-adult book series.

In the Star Wars universe, actors John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran received extensive online hate that often included racial slurs and White supremacist rhetoric.

And it isn't just the sci-fi and fiction fandoms with a racism problem.

The contestants of color on RuPaul's Drag Race have cited racist abuse from fans, fewer bookings and fewer social media followers for queens of color. They've also spoken out about racial bias in what White contestants are allowed to say and do without public backlash versus how BIPOC queens are treated.

The racism McLaughlin faced began years ago, right from the start of Stranger Things in 2016.

As he told the Belgian audience:

“My very first comic con, some people didn’t stand in my line because I was Black."
"Some people told me: ‘Oh, I didn’t want to be in line because you were mean to [Millie Bobby Brown’s character] Eleven.’ Even now, some people don’t follow me or don’t support me because I’m Black.”

McLaughlin also said when the show first blew up into a global sensation, he noticed he gained far fewer social media followers than his White costars like Finn Wolfhard and Noah Schnapp.

He discussed the way his parents had to level with him about it at the time.

“My parents had to be like, ‘It’s a sad truth, but it’s because you’re the Black child on the show.' Because I was born with this beautiful chocolate skin, I’m not loved.”

On Twitter, many thanked McLaughlin for speaking out about his experiences.





Despite the racist abuse he has faced, McLaughlin says he's not about to let it change him. He told the audience in Belgium.

“I do not give hate back to people who give hate to me."

He's not letting it slow his career down either. He's set to appear in the high-profile LeBron James biopic Shooting Stars, slated for release next year.

More from Trending

Ribvar Karimi and Morgan Gardner Karimi
Morgan Karimi/Facebook

Alabama Woman 'Blindsided' After ICE Detains Her Trump-Supporting Iranian Husband

Another day, another MAGA face eaten by a leopard.

The "it wasn't supposed to happen to me" movement claimed two more victims on Sunday, June 22, when Ribvar Karimi was abducted by the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in a sweep that included 11 Iranians.

Keep ReadingShow less
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Alex Wong/Getty Images

RFK Jr. Admits That Banning Fluoridated Water Will Cause 'More Cavities'—But He's OK With That

Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was criticized after admitting in a Fox News interview with Harris Faulkner that his proposed fluoridated water ban would likely lead people to have more cavities—but defended the move nonetheless.

While fluoride is not federally mandated in drinking water, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had long recommended its inclusion. Fluoride helps prevent cavities by strengthening enamel, and numerous studies have shown that fluoridated water reduces tooth decay in both children and adults.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Jesse Watters discussing Zohran Mamdani
Fox News

Jesse Watters Dragged After Trying To Give Mamdani A Scary Nickname That's Actually Kind Of Epic

Fox News personality Jesse Watters was widely mocked after he tried to give New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani a scary nickname in the vein of Conan the Destroyer—only for it to backfire considerably.

Watters is the latest member of the GOP to lash out at Mamdani, a democratic socialist who handily defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary last week.

Keep ReadingShow less
A man sitting on a couch
man sitting on sofa
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

People Sound Off On What Caused Them To Fire Their Therapist

We thankfully live in a world where there's no longer a stigma surrounding therapy.

Some people simply need professional help to deal with ongoing problems or even to get through the day.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andy Ogles; Zohran Mamdani
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images (left and right)

MAGA Rep Slammed After Calling For Mamdani To Be Stripped Of His Citizenship And Deported Over Rap Lyric

Tennessee Republican Andy Ogles was called out after he shared a letter he sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi urging her to denaturalize and deport New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani over a lyric in a rap song Mamdani released in 2017.

Mamdani ran a campaign centered around economic populism, arguing that the city, a global financial center, has grown unaffordable for everyday residents, citing soaring rents and grocery prices, and outlining policies aimed at reducing the cost of living.

Keep ReadingShow less