Caleb McLaughlin Says Racism From ‘Stranger Things’ Fans “Took a Toll on Me”

Caleb McLaughlin is opening up about the racism he’s experienced from fans of Stranger Things.

While speaking at the Heroes Comic Con Belgium convention over the weekend, McLaughlin, who plays Lucas Sinclair on the hit Netflix series, talked about some of the racism he’s dealt with as the only Black male actor on Stranger Things.

“It definitely took a toll on me as a younger kid,” the actor said in the below video. “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,” Caleb continued. “Sometimes overseas, you feel the racism, you feel the bigotry. Sometimes it’s hard to talk about and for people to understand, but when I was younger, it definitely affected me a lot.”

He added, “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.”

Back in May, McLaughlin spoke with Complex about his pivot into music, following the release of the actor’s new single “Soul Travel.”

“Music has always been an important part of me,” Caleb shared. “It just happened. I’ve sung, danced, and performed on stage most of my life so it was always just a part of me. Music has always been my baby and I take it personally. The more involved I get in my craft, the more I feel like I have become more serious about it over the years.”

Check out Caleb’s full interview with Complex’s Karla Rodriguez here.