Despite Hollywood having come a long way when it comes to representation of minority groups, the racism that many Black and Asian actors are subjected to is almost becoming something that is normal by the way it is expected by actors taking on certain roles. One star who was perhaps not prepared to face such a backlash was Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin, who recently recounted his experiences from early in his role and how they took a toll on him.
While Stranger Things has become one of the biggest shows on Netflix, the kind of attention that brings is not always positive. For McLaughlin, his introduction to fame included being subjected to the kind of racism that his character Lucas has faced in the most recent season, and for the young actor, it was a confusing time. While speaking in a Q&A session at Heroes Comic Con Belgium, the actor said:
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
“It definitely took a toll on me as a younger kid. 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 [Millie Bobby Brown].’ My parents had to be like, ‘It’s the sad truth, but it’s because you’re the Black child on the show.’ I thought Wow, that’s crazy. Because I was born with this beautiful chocolate skin I’m not loved, but that’s why with my platform I want to spread positivity and love because I do not want to give hate back to people who give hate to me.”
Caleb McLaughlin is The Latest Star To Recount His Racist Bullying Experiences
Hollywood has attempted to change things up when it comes to the hiring and casting of Black, Asian, Gay, Non-Binary and many other minority groups, and while that has shown across the board in some ways, the fan bases of certain big franchise have made it clear that they have an issue with certain castings in particular and go on a full online assault of the individuals involved.
Although McLaughlin’s time on Stranger Things seems to have improved over the years, the reminder of how toxic certain fan bases can be about some of the biggest TV shows and movies is still unfortunately a very relevant one. When actors will finally be instantly accepted into franchise roles without fear of becoming the subject of internet hate is something that no one seems to have the answer to.
