Caleb McLaughlin

IS RIDING HIGH.

At just 19 years old, Caleb McLaughlin has already been a roaring success on stage, playing young Simba in The Lion King on Broadway, and turned the streaming world upside down as Lucas Sinclair on Netflix mega-hit Stranger Things. Next, he’s saddling up for Concrete Cowboy as Cole, the son of Idris Elba’s urban rancher. “I know I have more range that is embedded in me that just hasn’t been shown yet,” he says.

Have you been looking for more grown-up roles in recent years?

Yeah. I was definitely looking for a role to develop my acting. I read the script [for Concrete Cowboy] and was just superamazed by how beautifully written it was. And then I heard Idris was a producer on it, and if I got the role, he would be playing my father. I was like, “Man, I’ve got to do this!”

What spoke to you about Cole?

He’s someone totally different from who I am, and I was up for the challenge. This is a coming-of-age moment for him, and I was growing up on the film as well. So me and Cole, at the same time, had similar learning experiences.

You’re currently filming the fourth season of Stranger Things. Does playing Lucas still surprise you?

It definitely surprises me every year. I love that Lucas has developed. He’s not the same person. I get to dive into who he is each season, and figure that out for myself: ‘What is he going through in his head, mentally, that people don’t know about?’ I wouldn’t say it gets boring for me at all.

What’s your dream role?

I definitely would want to be in the Marvel universe or the DC universe, like Miles Morales or Static Shock. That would be a dream come true. I always thought I was a superhero. I still think I could fly, I just haven’t tapped into that yet. I’ve been working out for it. I’m ready. I’ve been waiting on the phone, you know?

ETA | OUT NOW / CONCRETE COWBOY IS CURRENTLY STREAMING ON NETFLIX.