The gang sits down with Gaten Matarazzo — the quick-witted Broadway kid who became a global sensation as Dustin Henderson on Stranger Things. Gaten takes us all the way back — from hustling backstage at Les Mis, to the chaotic on-stage disaster he’ll never live down, to the moment the beloved Steve-and-Dustin duo was born. We also dig into who Gaten is off-set — the music he’s making, the life he’s building, and what comes next now that Hawkins is in the rear-view.  Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at https://skims.com/podcrushed. #skimspartner  Head to https://prettytasty.com and use code PODCRUSHED at checkout for your first subscription order FREE (up to a $49 value), plus 15% off every subscription order after that. Podcrushed listeners can grab Rosetta Stone’s LIFETIME Membership for 50% OFF at https://rosettastone.com/podcrushed.That’s unlimited access to 25 language courses, for life! Go to https://airalo.com and use code PODCRUSHED for 15% off your first eSIM. Terms apply.    00:00 Introduction  02:28 Gaten’s Early Career and Life 05:49 Challenges of Growing Up in the Spotlight 15:16 First Crushes and Relationships 22:10 Auditioning for Stranger Things 27:29 Reflecting on Early Auditions and TV Experience 29:33 Chemistry Between Dustin and Steve 31:37 Gross Moments on Set 33:09 Singing in Stranger Things 36:53 Saying Goodbye to Dustin 39:16 Future Plans and Reflections 49:04 Teaching Acting and Singing 52:13 Advice to Younger Self 53:18 Conclusion and Farewell   🎧 Want more from Podcrushed? 📸 Instagram 🎵 TikTok 🐦 X / Twitter ✨ Follow Penn, Sophie & Nava Instagram Penn Sophie Nava TikTok Penn Sophie Nava See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.