# Caleb McLaughlin
**Caleb McLaughlin** (Caleb Reginald McLaughlin, born 2001) is an American actor, singer, and dancer best known for playing Lucas Sinclair on the Netflix science fiction series *Stranger Things* (2016–2025). He began his career on stage as Young Simba in the Broadway musical *The Lion King* before moving into television and film, with leading roles in *Concrete Cowboy* (2020) and the animated film *GOAT* (2026).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2001, Carmel, New York, USA; birth name Caleb Reginald McLaughlin[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5160895/bio/) |
| Breakthrough role | Lucas Sinclair on Netflix's *Stranger Things*, 2016–2025, across all five seasons[2](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Caleb-McLaughlin/) |
| Stage start | Broadway debut as Young Simba in *The Lion King* (2012–2014), beginning at age 11[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5160895/bio/) • [3](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/caleb-mclaughlin-and-priah-ferguson-of-stranger-things-are-the-future) |
| Feature films | *High Flying Bird* (2019, Darius), *Concrete Cowboy* (2020, Cole), *Shooting Stars* (2023, Lil Dru), *The Book of Clarence* (2023), *The Deliverance* (2024, Nate)[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin) |
| Animation | Voice of Will Harris, the title character of *GOAT*, released February 13, 2026[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin) • [5](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/caleb-mclaughlin-responds-rumors-hes-auditioning-miles-morales-fliptastic-videos) |
| Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Youth, NAACP Image Awards (2018); Forbes 30 Under 30, Class of 2021[2](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Caleb-McLaughlin/) |
| Training | Dance study at Happy Feet Dance School, Seven Star School of Performing Arts, and The Harlem School of the Arts under Aubrey Lynch[2](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Caleb-McLaughlin/) |
## Early life and stage career
McLaughlin was born in Carmel, New York, and trained in ballet, tap, and jazz[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5160895/bio/). He studied dance for a year at Happy Feet Dance School in Carmel, then attended the Seven Star School of Performing Arts in Brewster Hill, New York for a year, and studied at The Harlem School of the Arts under Aubrey Lynch[2](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Caleb-McLaughlin/). His first acting role was as a child in the opera *Lost in the Stars* at the Glimmerglass Opera House in [Cooperstown, New York](https://www.edgepedia.org/cooperstown-new-york)[2](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Caleb-McLaughlin/).
**How it began.** He had no initial intention of becoming an actor; he first accompanied his younger sister to a community theater program called Pied Piper because she did not want to go alone[6](https://boardroom.tv/caleb-mclaughlin-boardroom-talks/). After moving into professional theater, he was cast as Young Simba in *The Lion King* on Broadway, a role he played from 2012 to 2014, starting at age 11[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5160895/bio/) • [3](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/caleb-mclaughlin-and-priah-ferguson-of-stranger-things-are-the-future). He has said the part taught him how to perform in front of a lively New York theater audience, and that the production exposed him to film and television agents who began submitting him for auditions around New York[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin).
## Television roles
His first television role was on *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (NBC) in 2013, followed by a guest spot on the CBS crime series *Unforgettable*[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin). His early television credits also include ABC's *Forever*, HBO's miniseries *[Show Me a Hero](https://www.edgepedia.org/show-me-a-hero)*, and CBS's *Blue Bloods*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5160895/bio/).
In 2016 he played Jay-Jay on the NBC cop drama *Shades of Blue*, starring [Jennifer Lopez](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-lopez), his first recurring role[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin). In 2017 he appeared as Young Ricky Bell in *The New Edition Story*, the BET miniseries about the boy band [New Edition](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-edition)[7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/caleb-mclaughlin/). His voice work includes Young Gary in the animated series *Final Space* and a role in *The Boys Presents: Diabolical*[7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/caleb-mclaughlin/).
## Stranger Things
McLaughlin's breakthrough came in 2016 with *Stranger Things*, the Netflix science fiction series set in 1980s Indiana, in which he plays Lucas Sinclair, one of a group of boys searching for a missing friend[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin). He was 15 when the series premiered and played Lucas across all five seasons, which ran through the final season in 2025[8](https://elpais.com/television/series/2025-11-19/stranger-things-el-antes-y-el-despues-de-los-actores-de-la-primera-a-la-quinta-temporada-2016-2025.html) • [2](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Caleb-McLaughlin/). More than 59 million viewers worldwide watched the Season 5 premiere[9](https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2026/08/11/stranger-things-actor-caleb-mclaughlin-got-serious-about-faith/).
His character has drawn particular attention. In the second season, Lucas made what Netflix's Tudum site called a seemingly trivial but ultimately crucial stand for himself: he did not want to be "the Black guy." McLaughlin has described Lucas as a leader and "a strong Black lead"[3](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/caleb-mclaughlin-and-priah-ferguson-of-stranger-things-are-the-future). In a 2022 interview with Vanity Fair, he described losing his voice after filming a wrenching scene with [Sadie Sink](https://www.edgepedia.org/sadie-sink)[10](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/07/stranger-things-caleb-mclaughlin-interview-season-4-volume-2). He has said that at the height of the show he began attending church regularly, deleted Instagram, and spent more time in prayer, telling the podcast *Podcrushed* that he grounded himself and, in a 2022 interview with Essence, that the faith felt like his calling[9](https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2026/08/11/stranger-things-actor-caleb-mclaughlin-got-serious-about-faith/).
## Film career
McLaughlin's film work began with a supporting role as Darius in [Steven Soderbergh](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-soderbergh)'s *High Flying Bird* (2019), which Rotten Tomatoes scores at 91 percent from critics[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin).
In *Concrete Cowboy* (2020) he played Cole, a starring role opposite [Idris Elba](https://www.edgepedia.org/idris-elba) in a film about Philadelphia's urban cowboy community; he learned to ride horses in Georgia for the part[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin) • [11](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/new-hollywood-2022-caleb-mclaughlin). In 2023 he played Lil Dru, one of [LeBron James](https://www.edgepedia.org/lebron-james)'s high school friends, in *Shooting Stars*, and appeared in *[The Book of Clarence](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-book-of-clarence)*[12](https://www.bet.com/article/n0main/caleb-mclaughlin-discusses-shooting-stars-lebron-james-and-transitioning-out-of-child-stardom) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin). Preparing for *Shooting Stars*, he spoke with the real Dru Joyce by phone for a few hours about James, Joyce's father, and how Joyce felt about himself[12](https://www.bet.com/article/n0main/caleb-mclaughlin-discusses-shooting-stars-lebron-james-and-transitioning-out-of-child-stardom). In 2024 he played Nate in *The Deliverance*, which Rotten Tomatoes scores at 33 percent from critics[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin).
## GOAT and life after Stranger Things
After *Stranger Things* ended, McLaughlin's first major post-series role was the voice of Will Harris, the title character of the animated film *GOAT*, inspired by [Stephen Curry](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-curry) and released in theaters on February 13, 2026[5](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/caleb-mclaughlin-responds-rumors-hes-auditioning-miles-morales-fliptastic-videos) • [6](https://boardroom.tv/caleb-mclaughlin-boardroom-talks/). The film reached No. 1 on the Netflix charts with an 84 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes[13](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/caleb-mclaughlin-first-post-stranger-things-project-goat-no-1-netflix-84-percent-rotten-tomatoes).
He has also spoken openly about what comes after the show. When videos of him doing gymnastic flips spread online, fans speculated he was quietly auditioning to play [Miles Morales](https://www.edgepedia.org/miles-morales) in a live-action [Spider-Man](https://www.edgepedia.org/spider-man) film; he said the flips were a hobby he picked up with friends, adding, "I would love to play Miles, but that was just a hobby that I picked up with some friends of mine." Boardroom has described playing Miles Morales as his ultimate dream role[5](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/caleb-mclaughlin-responds-rumors-hes-auditioning-miles-morales-fliptastic-videos) • [6](https://boardroom.tv/caleb-mclaughlin-boardroom-talks/).
## Recognition and public presence
In 2017 he was nominated for the BET YoungStars Award, and in 2018 he won Outstanding Performance by a Youth at the [NAACP Image Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/naacp-image-awards). In December 2020 he was named an honoree on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2021 list in Hollywood and [Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/entertainment)[2](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Caleb-McLaughlin/). On Instagram he has used the hashtags #EmbraceYourFace and #BeYourBiggestFan on his posts, a self-acceptance effort that grew into a movement encouraging teens to accept the difficult sides of adolescence and to stop comparing themselves to others online[14](https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/a/VbM516/stranger-things--sa-lever-skadespelarna) • [15](https://neuneumedia.com/caleb-mclaughlin-stranger-things-interview/).
## References
1. [Caleb McLaughlin Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5160895/bio/)
2. [Caleb McLaughlin (Actor) – Broadway & Theatre Credits, Bio, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Caleb-McLaughlin/)
3. [Caleb McLaughlin and Priah Ferguson of Stranger Things Are the Future, Netflix Tudum](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/caleb-mclaughlin-and-priah-ferguson-of-stranger-things-are-the-future)
4. [Caleb McLaughlin Movie & TV Show Ratings, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/caleb_mclaughlin)
5. [Caleb McLaughlin Responds to Rumors He's Auditioning for Miles Morales, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/caleb-mclaughlin-responds-rumors-hes-auditioning-miles-morales-fliptastic-videos)
6. [Beyond the Upside Down: Caleb McLaughlin on Broadway Roots and His New Animated Era, Boardroom](https://boardroom.tv/caleb-mclaughlin-boardroom-talks/)
7. [Caleb McLaughlin TV and Movie Credits, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/caleb-mclaughlin/)
8. ['Stranger Things': el antes y el después de los actores, El País](https://elpais.com/television/series/2025-11-19/stranger-things-el-antes-y-el-despues-de-los-actores-de-la-primera-a-la-quinta-temporada-2016-2025.html)
9. ['Stranger Things' actor says he found a deeper faith while growing up in the spotlight, Deseret News](https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2026/08/11/stranger-things-actor-caleb-mclaughlin-got-serious-about-faith/)
10. [Stranger Things: Caleb McLaughlin Lost His Voice After Wrenching Scene With Sadie Sink, Vanity Fair](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/07/stranger-things-caleb-mclaughlin-interview-season-4-volume-2)
11. [Caleb McLaughlin Talks Stranger Things, Concrete Cowboy, and Finding Peace, Teen Vogue](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/new-hollywood-2022-caleb-mclaughlin)
12. [Caleb McLaughlin Discusses 'Shooting Stars,' LeBron James, and Transitioning Out of Child Stardom, BET](https://www.bet.com/article/n0main/caleb-mclaughlin-discusses-shooting-stars-lebron-james-and-transitioning-out-of-child-stardom)
13. [Caleb McLaughlin's First Post-Stranger Things Project Is No. 1 on Netflix (And It Has 84% on Rotten Tomatoes), CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/caleb-mclaughlin-first-post-stranger-things-project-goat-no-1-netflix-84-percent-rotten-tomatoes)
14. ["Stranger things" – så lever skådespelarna, Aftonbladet](https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/a/VbM516/stranger-things--sa-lever-skadespelarna)
15. [Caleb McLaughlin: Boy Wonder, Neu Neu Magazine](https://neuneumedia.com/caleb-mclaughlin-stranger-things-interview/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Mc to Mi*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license