Table of Contents

Early life and education
Career
Advocacy
Acting credits
Film
Television
Theater
Music videos
Awards and nominations
References
External links

Caleb McLaughlin

NameCaleb McLaughlin
Image
CaptionMcLaughlin in 2025
Birth NameCaleb Reginald McLaughlin
Birth Date2001-10-13
Birth PlaceCarmel, New York, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years Active2012–present

Caleb Reginald McLaughlin (born October 13, 2001) is an American actor. He gained international recognition playing Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series Stranger Things (2016–2025). He began his career playing young Simba in the Broadway musical The Lion King, and then had small roles in television. After finding success in Stranger Things, he appeared in the drama films High Flying Bird (2019) and Concrete Cowboy (2020), the latter his first lead role in a feature film. He also was in the miniseries The New Edition Story (2017) and has had several television voice acting roles.

Early life and education

McLaughlin was born on October 13, 2001, in Carmel, New York, to April and Corey McLaughlin. He attended Kent Primary School and later went to George Fischer Middle School for one year. He studied dance for a year at Happy Feet Dance School and then was a student at Seven Star School of Performing Arts in Brewster, New York, for one year. He later studied at Harlem School of the Arts in Harlem, New York under Aubrey Lynch, a former Lion King producer.

Career

McLaughlin in Neuss, Germany at the German Stranger Con in 2022

McLaughlin's first acting role was as a child in an opera, Lost in the Stars, in Cooperstown, New York, at the Glimmerglass Opera House. His first starring role was on Broadway as young Simba in The Lion King musical (2012–14). He had guest-starring roles in television series including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Unforgettable, Forever, What Would You Do?, and Shades of Blue. In 2016, McLaughlin's breakthrough role came with his portrayal of Lucas Sinclair in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things (2016–2025). In 2017, he was a nominee for the BET YoungStars Award, and in 2018 he won Outstanding Performance by a Youth at the NAACP Image Awards. In 2020, McLaughlin made his feature film debut in Concrete Cowboy, co-starring with Idris Elba and Jharrel Jerome. The movie received positive reviews.

In December 2020, McLaughlin was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2021 list. On January 8, 2024, it was announced that McLaughlin was set to feature in a biopic about British-American rap artist 21 Savage, alongside Donald Glover and Savage himself; McLaughlin was expected to play a younger version of 21 Savage. On January 24, Savage revealed that the biopic's announcement was actually a "parody", although he said that "it could be real movie one day".

Advocacy

McLaughlin has spearheaded the social media campaigns #EmbraceYourFace and #BeYourBiggestFan which promote healthy body image, positivity, and self-esteem. He said, "Feeling good about yourself is healthy. It always starts with you first, before it goes to anyone else... You have to learn to love and appreciate yourself." In 2020, he encouraged people to vote in the 2020 US presidential election, posting a video on his Instagram account with links to Vote.org.

McLaughlin has talked about the racism he experienced being the only black actor in the main cast of Stranger Things, saying, "My very first Comic-Con some people didn't stand in my line because I was black... 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."

Acting credits

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2012Noah Dreams of Origami FortunesNoahShort film
2019High Flying BirdDarius
2020Concrete CowboyColtrane "Cole"
2023Shooting StarsDru Joyce III
The Book of ClarenceDirty Zeke
2024The DeliveranceNathaniel "Nate" Jackson
2026GoatWill HarrisVoice

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013Law & Order: Special Victims UnitKidEpisode: "Born Psychopath"
UnforgettableOlder BrotherEpisode: "New Hundred"
2014ForeverAlejandroEpisode: "The Pugilist Break"
2015What Would You Do?Foster ChildSeason 10; Episode 2
Last Week Tonight with John OliverHimselfEpisode: "District of Columbia"
2016Shades of BlueJay-Jay3 episodes
Blue BloodsTony LaneEpisode: "For the Community"
2016–2025Stranger ThingsLucas SinclairMain role
2017The New Edition StoryRicky Bell (age 13)3 episodes
Lip Sync BattleHimselfEpisode: "The Cast of Stranger Things"
2018Final SpaceYoung Gary (voice)Episode: "Chapter 4"
2018–2021Summer Camp IslandGhost (voice)4 episodes
2021Ultra City SmithsTrevor Johnson (voice)6 episodes
2022The Boys Presents: DiabolicalMo-Slo (voice)Episode: "An Animated Short Where Pissed-Off Supes Kill Their Parents"
2026Saturday Night LiveHimself (cameo), Lucas SinclairEpisode: "Finn Wolfhard/ASAP Rocky"

Theater

YearTitleRoleVenueNotes
2012, 2016Lost in the StarsAlexGlimmerglass Festival, Washington National Opera
2012–14The Lion KingYoung SimbaMinskoff TheatreBroadway replacement
2015The Painted Rocks at Revolver CreekBokkiePershing Square Signature CenterOff-Broadway

Music videos

YearTitleArtist
2012"Still Standing" (feat. Jill Scott)Pharoche Monch
2017"Santa's Coming For Us"Sia
2021"Neighborhood"Caleb McLaughlin
2022"Soul Travel"Caleb McLaughlin

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
2017Young Artist AwardsBest Performance in a Digital TV Series or Film – Teen ActorStranger Things
2017Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2017BET AwardsYoungStars Award
2018NAACP Image AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited Series)
2018Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2018MTV Movie & TV AwardsBest On-Screen Team (with Gaten Matarazzo, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp and Sadie Sink)
2019Nickelodeon Kids' Choice AwardsFavorite Male TV Star
2019Teen Choice AwardsChoice Summer TV Actor
2020Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2021Black Reel AwardsOutstanding Male Breakthrough PerformanceConcrete Cowboy
2023NAACP Image AwardsNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesStranger Things

References


External links


Category:2001 births
Category:Living people
Category:21st-century African-American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:African-American male child actors
Category:American male child actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male musical theatre actors
Category:American male stage actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:Male actors from New York City