Caleb McLaughlin has spoken out about the racism he receives from Stranger Things fans
(Picture: Getty Images )Caleb McLaughlin has opened up about racism he has experienced from some fans of Stranger Things.
McLaughlin, who has played Lucas Sinclair on the hit Netflix sci-fi series since its first season, appeared at the Heroes Comic Con Belgium convention on Sunday and spoke from the stage about the hate he's received from some fans because he is black.
"It definitely took a toll on me as a younger kid," the actor, now 20, said. "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 your line because you were mean to Eleven.'
"Even now some people don't follow me or don't support me because I'm Black."
here's caleb talking about how he had to deal with racism just because he was "the black kid who was mean to eleven in season 1" and felt like it was important to share his thoughts on that :) #StrangerThings #TUDUM #CalebMcLaughlin @HComicConBE pic.twitter.com/JZoXS9aaBW
— L ☾ met timothée (@spideychaIamet) September 25, 2022
"Sometimes it's hard to talk about and for people to understand, but when I was younger it definitely affected me a lot.
"Sometimes overseas you feel the racism, you feel the bigotry. "
The star said he saw other actors on the show had more social media followers even though "I'm on the same show as everybody from season one."
McLaughlin said he discussed it with his parents.
"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," he said.
"But that's why - with my platform - I want to spread positivity and love because I do not give hate back to people who give hate to me."
McLaughlin is the latest actor to speak out about receiving racist pushback from fanbases.
Black actors from other hit franchises, like Steve Toussaint from Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon and Ismael Cruz Córdova from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, have also recently addressed their experiences.
Toussaint, who stars on the show as Lord Corlys Velaryon, said: "It seems to be very hard for people to swallow. [Fans] are happy with a dragon flying. They're happy with white hair and violet-colored eyes, but a rich Black guy? That's beyond the pale."
Córdova revealed his DMs were filled with "pure and vicious hate speech" since becoming the first person who is not white to portray an elf in a fantasy franchise. He said: "I fought so hard for this role for this very reason.
"I felt that I could carry that torch. I made sure that my elf was the most Elven, the most incredible, because I knew this was coming."
In May, black American actress Moses Ingram who portrays the character Reva Sivander in Obi-Wan Kenobi's said she had been harassed with racist direct messages since the debut of the Disney+ series.
Recently actress Halle Bailey also faced an onslaught of racist trolling after the teaser of her as Ariel in the Disney Live Action remake of The Little Mermaid was released.
