Listen via: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Podcasts | More Platforms
Gaten Matarazzo joins Kyle Meredith to talk through the final season of Stranger Things, and as he puts it, this farewell has been dragging out for years. The actor says the cast has been fielding goodbye questions since before Season 4 even dropped, and with the final episodes now being rolled out in three parts, the long goodbye feels even longer. Matarazzo reflects on what it means to leave behind a role he’s played since childhood, while also navigating the uncertainty of life after Hawkins. Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.
“Even now, I don’t think I ever want to put it behind me,” Matarazzo says of the show. “It’s always going to be a defining chapter of what I do going forward.” He talks about the security the series provides — emotionally and professionally — and how letting go also means embracing a more unpredictable, freelance future. “I’ve never done well with downtime,” he admits. “I just want to keep working.”
That drive has led him to voice acting, including a major role in Andy Serkis’ animated adaptation of Animal Farm, where he plays a newly invented character, Lucky the piglet. “Once I saw Andy was directing, that was it. Even if I didn’t like the project, I’d still be over the moon to work with him,” he says. “Thankfully, I really loved it.” Matarazzo also leads Disney+’s Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, and while he hesitates to call himself a “voice actor” just yet, he’s finding a rhythm. “I’ve basically been lucky enough to play exaggerated versions of myself,” he jokes, adding that voicing a Star Wars superfan within the Star Wars universe is a surreal dream come true.
Outside of the booth, though, he’s still drawn most deeply to theater. “It’s skydiving every night,” he says. “But I weirdly feel more comfortable on stage than anywhere else.”
Listen to Gaten Matarazzo talk about the final season of Stranger Things, Animal Farm, and more in the new episode above or by watching the video below. Keep up on all the latest episodes by following Kyle Meredith With… on your favorite podcast platform; plus, check out all the series on the Consequence Podcast Network.
Related Video