The actor stated, “Sometimes it can be difficult to talk about and for people to understand, but when it was younger it definitely affected my life a lot.”
Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin has recently spoken out about the racism he experienced when the sci-fi series hit Netflix.
He reflected on the first Comic-Con, when people refused to stand in his lines, and said it was because his character, Lucas Sinclair treated Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven in season 1.
He said that “it definitely took a toll upon me as a younger child,” at the Heroes Comic Con Belgium convention. “Some people didn’t stand in my line because they knew I was Black. I was told by some people that they didn’t want me to be in their line, but that you were mean to Eleven. ‘”
McLaughlin, 20 years old, explained that sometimes it happens. “Even now some people do not follow me or support me because of my race,” he said. McLaughlin, 20, said that sometimes you can feel the racism and the bigotry when you travel overseas. It can be difficult to talk about it and get people to understand it, but it certainly affected me when I was younger.
He began the series at age 14 and recalls his younger self asking why he was not the most popular on the show with fewer followers than his co-stars. He thought, “I’m on season one as everyone else,” he said.
According to the actor, his parents had him sit down and tell him a sad truth.
McLaughlin said that McLaughlin’s parents were unable to accept the fact that McLaughlin was the Black child in the show’s family. “Because my beautiful chocolate skin was given to me, I don’t feel loved.”
He refuses to be influenced by racism, despite the hardships he has faced.
McLaughlin stated, “That’s why I have my platform to spread positivity & love.” “Because I don’t give hate back to those who hate me,” McLaughlin added.
