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“Be Your Biggest Fan” Photographer SSAM KIM Stylist MATT BIDGOLI Glass speaks with Caleb McLaughlin, the young star of Stranger Things, about his passions, his goals and taking his first flight into feature-length films All clothing and accessories LOUIS VUITTON SS19 14 Glass Talents All clothing and accessories LOUIS VUITTON Page Title SS19 15 was first made aware of Caleb McLaughlin a couple of years are more digitally adored by fans than the Stranger Things cast, ago when I was babysitting my little sister. She told me she with celebrities like Drake openly expressing his addiction for had planned for us an evening of watching the latest and the show, and Stranger Things Instagram fan groups numbering “coolest ever” programme that “everyone was talking about” in the thousand. Recently, the close-knit clan of Stranger Things Iin the school playground. The programme she was referring to was Instagram accounts in Europe spiralled into mass hysteria when the Netflix phenomenon – Stranger Things. Of course, I had heard their beloved profiles began to vanish. Convinced that an EU of it before – it wasn’t just spoken about in the school playground, Brussels copyright legislation was to blame for the purge (it but also at watercoolers at work, all across social media and on wasn’t), the accounts mobilised into a widespread lobby and made T-shirts in many high street shops. national news. The fact that a threat to their online Stranger Things Settling down to watch our first episode I wasn’t sure what to allegiance captivated not only their interest but also, in turn, the expect. From what I understood prior to watching, the programme nation is pretty unique. was a science-fiction-horror that followed four young American For McLaughlin, however, acting didn’t begin with Stranger teens battling with the supernatural – admittedly not a genre, Things. He explains, “Before Stranger Things, I started off or an age range, that particularly resonates with me. Yet within in community theatre because I loved performing on stage. I was the first two minutes, on Broadway [McLaughlin I was surprised to find performed as Young Simba how hooked I had already in The Lion King], in operas, become. Kicking things and then some television off with a thrilling death series in New York, such wasn’t an opener that I as Law & Order and Blue would naturally associate Bloods, I did all those cop with a group of young shows. And then, as time teens. I soon realised this came around I just realised wasn’t the kids programme I wanted to go more into I had assumed it to be. We film and TV. After I did my watched the whole of the two-year run performing first series in one night on Broadway, a year later and by morning it was all I auditioned for Stranger I could talk about. But Things and I got it the rather than the fast-paced following fall.” Of course, CGI, iconic theme tune, this is the “short version” and incredible homage to says McLaughlin, politely 1980s pop culture, what saving us from explaining, particularly stood out to me in his terms, “the whole about Stranger Things was rollercoaster ride”. the extraordinary acting of And what a rollercoaster the four young teens. it’s been. Born on October In the series, 13, 2001, McLaughlin McLaughlin stars as Lucas grew up in Carmel, a Sinclair, a friend of Wills small town in suburban (whose disappearance sets New York, to parents who the story in motion), worked in performance and and his approach to the introduced him to the arts. role is incredibly mature McLaughlin attended Kent and credible. Dealing Primary School and later with friendship, love and attended George Fischer loss among moments of Middle School. His taste family strain, police for performing began at intervention, and school Happy Feet Dance School traumas, the four young in Carmel, New York and teens must navigate then later on at The Harlem through their fair share of School of the Arts under life crises. Lucas Sinclair Aubrey Lynch, former The is the natural leader of the Lion King producer. Since group and his headstrong and confident nature is depended on by then, he has had a range of television appearances but it was all. When I spoke with McLaughlin, these characteristics could be landing the role of Lucas Sinclair in Stranger Things that really said for the young 17-year-old too. Despite admitting that “you threw McLaughlin under the spotlight. He says, “I’ve become an also get nervous … I don’t know why but I start thinking whether inspiration to a lot of people, a role model. It’s definitely different, I can actually play this character again. In the back of my head, I but it’s an amazing experience and I’m enjoying the ride.” think, ‘Oh I haven’t done this in so long. Will I be able to pull this With full-on fame by the age of 14, McLaughlin takes the ride off?’” he is quick to add, “but when you get into that eighties mode with surprising ease. His cool and understated edge can be said for and you’re in your element with your cast members and you’re just his style, too. At just 17 he is twenty-third on GQ’s best-dressed doing it, you just jump right into it.” men list for 2019, being praised for his ability to set trends, rather The pressure on these young actors is understandably daunting. than follow them. Fashion, McLaughlin says, is an important way Since the show was released in July 2016, it has received critical of expressing an image: “It shows how you carry yourself and what acclaim – including 31 Emmy Award nominations. Its third you think about yourself”. He continues, “It doesn’t really matter season will be released in July – with spinoffs planned for the what brand it is, or who the designer is – the designer, of course, is future; and now, November 6 has become a Stranger Things Day. great and they can get the right products – but I just like what looks The dedication of the Stranger Things fanbase is “on a different good on me, something crispy and smooth.” Selecting things with a level”, explains McLaughlin, who believes it is the fans who are conscious authenticity and for his own satisfaction is an approach to thank for making Stranger Things “into a classic”. Few actors that McLaughlin applies to his every day, too. 16 Glass Talents All clothing and accessories LOUIS VUITTON SS19 All clothing and accessories LOUIS VUITTON Page Title SS19 17 18All clothingPage Title and accessories LOUIS VUITTON SS19 All clothing and accessories LOUIS VUITTON Page Title SS19 19 When I spoke with him about his encouraging mottos, iPhone as the future of moviemaking, McLaughlin described particularly “Be Your Biggest Fan”, that can be found in every one the unique approach as the very reason behind the trust he has of his Instagram posts, as well as in his modest fashion collection, in him as an “amazing director”. “It’s definitely different” and he he said, “This is who I am 100 per cent”. And when I questioned “wouldn’t recommend filming Stranger Things on an iPhone”, whether he feels any responsibility to represent and encourage but Soderbergh’s iPhone storytelling is a credit to his talent, says confidence and self-love for his younger fans, he was very quick McLaughlin. “I love creating stories and making them my own”, to reiterate that he is “just being myself … I’m not trying to keep and he likens this to Soderbergh, too. up this appearance of being nice and being positive to get more Although McLaughlin says, “Acting has a special place in my people to love me”. He does recognise that “by just being myself heart like no other”, his time spent with the award-winning Duffer … I am a role model in some way”, and with this, naturally, Brothers, who wrote and directed Stranger Things, and on the comes a responsibility. set of High Flying Bird, Although social media written by Moonlight can be approached by many Oscar winner Tarell as a “job”, for McLaughlin Alvin McCraney and his relationship with directed by Traffic Oscar the world of social is a winner Soderbergh, has healthy one, one in which “inspired me to write he doesn’t take himself my own films and TV too seriously. He focuses shows”. It is apparent that on the positives, and he his career schedule has keeps it real. This attitude also inspired this drive: is infectious and is a “I’m just putting down strong indication of how some ideas because I can’t he garnered 5.5 million always wait on somebody followers. As long as his to book me an audition or fans “remember who book me for a role. I have they are and remember to make my own moves to become their biggest and do it while I can and fan and be their biggest I’m able to, while I have fan” then his “job” online, these fresh ideas.” McLaughlin says, is With his determined complete. This consistent mindset and portfolio of need to shift the spotlight experience at the age of from himself and rather 17, I was curious to know onto his fans, giving them what McLaughlin would the room to shine, is a consider his greatest method that is way ahead success to be so far. But of his years. when I questioned him, Most recently, he seemed taken aback, as McLaughlin has worked if the question had never on his first feature-length been asked of him before, film, High Flying Bird, almost as if he hadn’t even a sports drama directed considered his life to have by Steven Soderbergh had significant success.

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