Five Fast Facts About Stranger Things Star Caleb McLaughlin

Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin is just 17 years old, but he’s already done such amazing things in his career. Not only is he on a hit Netflix show, but he’s also starred on Broadway and already worked with an Oscar-winning director!

From his first television role to his dance training, here are five fast facts you need to know about the young actor who plays Lucas Sinclair on Stranger Things.

Young Simba
Before starting his career in movies and television, McLaughlin got his professional start as Young Simba in The Lion King on Broadway. He was in the show from 2012 to 2014.

Friends Before Fame
While performing in The Lion King, McLaughlin actually met his future Stranger Things co-star, Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin, as he was also working on Broadway in Les Miserables.

Trained Dancer
Along with being a very gifted actor, McLaughlin is actually a trained dancer. He first studied dance at the Happy Feet Dance School in Carmel, New York — which is where he’s from — and then he attended The Harlem School of the Arts.

First TV Show
Prior to landing his role on Stranger Things, McLaughlin’s first television show role was a rite of passage for almost every New York actor — he appeared on an episode of Law & Order: SVU in 2013!

Big Movie Role
Though he’s mostly been focusing on television work, McLaughlin was in his first feature-length movie earlier this year called High Flying Bird, which was directed by Oscar-winner Steven Soderbergh (Oceans Eleven, Erin Brockovich).