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"Stranger Things" star Caleb McLaughlin is opening up about the racism he's experienced from fans of the Netflix hit series.
On Sunday (September 25), McLaughlin, 20, got candid about how "Stranger Things" fans have treated him differently than his white costars, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Sadie Sink, and Noah Schnapp, since the show's debut in 2016, People reports.
"It definitely took a toll on me as a younger kid," McLaughlin said at Heroes Comic Con in Brussels. "My very first Comic-Con, some people wouldn't stand in my line because I was Black."
"Some people told me 'Oh, I didn't want to be in your line because you were mean to Eleven,'" he added, per a video shared on Twitter by an event attendee. "Even now, some people don't follow me or don't support me because I'm Black, you know."
With 15.4 million Instagram followers, McLaughlin remains the least-followed main cast member of "Stranger Things."
The 20-year-old actor revealed Sunday that he's questioned his follower count and why he was the "least favorite" of the cast.
"It's hard to talk about and for people to understand, but when I was younger it definitely affected me a lot," McLaughlin said.
"You see, you're like, 'What? Like, this is a deep conversation right now — why am I the least favorite? Why [do I have] the least amount of followers?" he continued. "I'm on the same show as everyone else from season 1.'"
McLaughlin recalled, "My parents had to be like, 'It's a sad truth, but it's because you're the Black child on the show,' and I was like 'Wow, that's crazy.'"
Despite feeling the "racism and bigotry" even while overseas, the "Stranger Things" star said he chooses to "spread positivity and love."
"Because I was born with this beautiful chocolate skin, I'm not loved," McLaughlin told the audience. "But that's why with my platform I want to spread positivity and love because I do not give hate back to people that give hate to me."
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