Stranger Things breakout star Gaten Matarazzo has bravely opened up about the harsh casting experiences he endured early on as a child actor due to his cleidocranial dysplasia, a rare disorder affecting the development of his teeth and facial bones.
The insensitive direction to alter his appearance to simply “have the right look” caused immense embarrassment and pressure on young Matarazzo over his condition. But it was fully embracing his differences that paved his path to success with Stranger Things. His triumph proves celebrating one’s uniqueness is the ultimate way forward.
Told His Look Was Unsuitable for TV in a Painfully Direct Way
Matarazzo revealed how one blunt casting director callously told him “Kid, I love you, but you’ve got to get those teeth fixed” after deeming his unique smile unsuitable for television. Matarazzo shared vivid details about the challenging beginnings of his acting career, when he was frequently turned down for coveted juvenile roles with biting comments like “Sorry kid, you just don’t have the look we need.” His bone disorder affected the development of his teeth and facial features in ways many short-sighted gatekeepers deemed prohibitive for being a “TV-ready” performer.
The most direct blow came when a casting director expressly told the eager young Matarazzo “Kid, I love you, but you’ve got to get those teeth fixed” in order to realistically land substantive acting jobs going forward. The callous remark cut deep, making him feel his smile was defective.
Faced Immense Pressure to Physically Alter His Teeth to Conform
The blunt recommendation from industry powers to actively “fix his teeth” through expensive, painful procedures further embarrassed Matarazzo over his uncontrollable condition. He faced immense pressure to physically alter his natural smile solely for the chance to get cast in Hollywood.
“I was auditioning for a bunch of stuff, a lot of commercials, a lot of theater, not a lot of TV and movie stuff, though, it wasn’t what I was going for, I didn’t have the look for it. I still had a lot of problems with my teeth, had a lisp, it was an awkward stage for me at the time, and TV and film were not about…” Gaten Matarazzo said. “I didn’t run away from it, I went head first,” the Stranger Things actor added.
“Before I had grown up, they didn’t know how severely my condition was going to affect me. I remember casting directors would constantly tell me like, ‘Oh kid we love you, but yeah, just get those teeth in.’ I always heard, ‘Get those teeth in,’ I’d explain the condition, and then they tell me, ‘Well you’re not gonna have much luck in this industry then,’” Gaten added.
Like many aspiring talents rejected for their differences, Matarazzo was made to feel he had to fundamentally change who he was to achieve his dreams. But he persevered without compromising his identity.
Found Fame and Success By Proudly Embracing His Unique Grin
Ironically, it was fully embracing his differences and radiating confidence in his one-of-a-kind wide grin that paved Matarazzo’s eventual path to global stardom with Stranger Things. He won over legions of fans across the world by proudly sporting his rare, endearing smile just as he was.
Matarazzo’s indelible role as the lovable, earnest Dustin on the hit Netflix series demonstrated that allowing the inner spirit to shine matters far more than superficial judgments over physical appearance. Celebrating what makes you stand out is the ultimate path to prosperity.
Gaten Matarazzo’s painful early casting experiences speak to the intense pressures aspiring talents face to conform over uncontrollable physical traits or conditions. But his triumph with Stranger Things proves that confidently embracing what makes you uniquely you can unlock destinies beyond imagination.
Stranger Things currently streaming on Netflix.
Source: Rutgers
