Los Angeles, California – Gaten Matarazzo, 23, revealed the real-life texting habits he shares with his Stranger Things costars during the fifth and final season of the hit Netflix series. Speaking at the season 5 premiere in Los Angeles, Matarazzo explained which cast members he stays in touch with most frequently and how their bond off-screen mirrors their on-screen friendship.
“I’m texting Finny (Finn Wolfhard) and Caleb (Caleb McLaughlin) a ton all the time,” Matarazzo told PEOPLE. “They update a lot. They like a good meme and a good laugh. A good voice memo, too. Those are always… we do a number of those on a frequent basis.”
Roommates and Real-Life College Vibes
Matarazzo has shared a long history with his Stranger Things castmates, having appeared in the show since its debut in 2015. During filming of season 5, he even lived with Finn Wolfhard, 22, describing the experience as reminiscent of college life.
“It was great. It was kind of like a college experience,” he said. Matarazzo also joked about their messy apartment:
“I would look around like three months after we lived together and be like, ‘This place is disgusting. What are we doing?’ “
He added that their similar energy levels made it hard to hold each other accountable for cleaning, explaining, “We were kind of like, ‘Ah, f— it. Whatever, man. We’ll get to it later.'”
The Final Season Experience
The highly anticipated Stranger Things season 5 premiered its Volume 1 on Netflix on November 26, 2025, with Volume 2 set to release on December 25, and the series finale scheduled for December 31. Matarazzo reflected on the finale table read, which occurred back in December 2023:
“It was unreal. Everyone was so excited, looking forward to it. It was a good experience,” he said. He described how the scripts were released in segments, with the first few episodes read together and the remaining ones gradually shared.
Reflecting on the last day on set, Matarazzo likened it to “graduation,” calling it a “big celebration” that marked the end of an era for the cast and crew.
Life-Changing Experience
Matarazzo emphasized how profoundly Stranger Things has impacted his life. “It’s the most incredible experience I could ever ask for. If it’s the only thing I do, I’m just proud to do it. I’m so thankful for being a part of it and for the opportunities it’s provided for myself and my family,” he said.
He continued, “I just want to spread that love of this experience out and about and let it be known how appreciative I am of it. It’s pretty incredible.”
Key Takeaways
- Actor: Gaten Matarazzo, 23
- Show: Stranger Things, Season 5
- Close Castmates: Finn Wolfhard and Caleb McLaughlin
- Communication Style: Frequent memes, voice memos, and laughs
- Final Season: Volume 1 streaming now, Volume 2 on Dec. 25, finale Dec. 31
- On-Set Experience: Like a college experience; strong lifelong friendships formed
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