Caleb McLaughlin [1] first came to fame with his scene-stealing role as Lucas on Stranger Things [2]. Since then, he's appeared as Ricky Bell on BET's The New Edition Story, Darius in High Flying Bird, and Cole in Netflix's Concrete Cowboy [3]. With Concrete Cowboy, which premiered on Netflix April 2, the 19-year-old proves that not only is he ready to take Hollywood head-on, but he can carry his own with heavy-hitters like Idris Elba. Concrete Cowboy is only be the beginning for the young actor, who also has interests in making music as well as being an advocate for positivity and self-esteem. If you found yourself enthralled by his most recent performance and want to know what he's like in real life, keep reading to find out more.
He Made His Broadway Debut in The Lion King
While Caleb may have gotten his first acting role in the Glimmerglass Opera House's production of Lost in the Stars, his first starring role was on Broadway. From 2012-2014, he played his dream role of Young Simba in The Lion King, becoming the longest-running actor to play the role. "My parents took me to see The Lion King [5] two years before I got the job," Caleb previously told Neu Neu Media. "I just knew that I wanted to be Simba. A few months later, I started community theatre and then I was the right age to audition. There were like, five auditions before I got the part. I was young and I realised I was blessed to get it. So many kids auditioned more than once, some ten to eleven times."
He Studied Dance While Growing Up
It's no secret that Caleb has a love of dancing [6], although he doesn't currently have much time to do it. "I've been professionally dancing in a class with someone teaching me the basics, but I haven't been dancing too much lately because of my schedule," he told Neu Neu Media. He got his start at the Happy Feet Dance School [7] before eventually studying at The Harlem School of the Arts under former The Lion King producer Aubrey Lynch.
He Learned to Ride a Horse For Concrete Cowboy
The last time Caleb had ridden a horse prior to filming Concrete Cowboy, was his sister's sixth birthday. "This was an intense training [8] that I had to do. It was nothing like I've ever done before. I spent like a week before actually hopping on the horse just building a relationship with a horse," he said in an interview with Decider. "A lot of people don't realise—it's not, 'Okay, I'm gonna hop on a horse and say 'Yeehaw!' and ride out into the sunset.' It's like, you have to build this special, spiritual bond with this horse. When you're training with the horse, the horse is also training with you."
He Has an Interest in R&B
Not only is R&B one of his favourite genres [9] of music, he portrayed Ricky Bell on BET's The New Edition Story. Some of his favourite artists include New Edition, Mint Condition, Jodeci, Joe and Chi. He even has plans to make old-school R&B of his own some day. "I realised how much I love music [10], and I love the art of music — I want to do it," he said in a prior interview with Coup De Main.
He Is a Fashion Icon in the Making
If you'd like to know who's behind Lucas's trademark bandana, you can thank Caleb. "I take that idea [11]. 100% me, no one else. I'm very proud of it," he said in an interview with Flaunt. His Stranger Things [12]-style isn't the only fashion move he's making. "It's not that I like fashion — I like things that make people say, 'Oh okay, that's how he is!' when they look at me, things that reflect my colourful personality," he shared with Neu Neu Media.
He Almost Didn't Audition For Stranger Things
Caleb was still performing in the Signature Theatre's production of The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek when he got the audition for Lucas. "I remember auditioning [13] for a whole bunch of series that I didn't get. I kept getting rejected," he said in a prior interview with Backstage. He was still upset about the rejection when he made his decision. "I was about to tell my mom I didn't want to audition for this, but then I was like, You know what? I'll do it because this is what I wanna do. I wanna act."
He Created Two Hashtags to Uplift Those Around Him
As a way to cope with his own self-confidence and love, Caleb created [14] the #EmbraceYourFace and #BeYourBiggestFan movements. They're also a way for his fans and fellow cast members to embrace their own insecurities and share their stories. "My parents always told me to be my biggest fan [15] since I was young. When no one else is your fan, you have to be your own cheerleader," he shared with Teen Vogue. "I wanted to show people they have to love themselves and embrace that. I wanted to let them know I'm here for them and spread love."
He Considers Gaten Matarazzo One of His Best Friends
The two first met during their Broadway days, while Gaten was playing Gavroche in Les Miserables and Caleb was in The Lion King. Caleb has called Gaten his "partner in crime on and off set [16]." Not to be outdone, Gaten also shared that Caleb is "one of the most awesome dudes [17] I know" and "I'm proud to call you my friend."