'Stranger Things' star says faith in God keeps him grounded in Hollywood
"Stranger Things" actor Caleb McLaughlin is opening up about his faith journey and how it has helped keep him grounded as he enters a new chapter of life and career.
During a recent episode of the podcast "Podcrushed," as highlighted in a recent report by The Christian Post, McLaughlin shared that his relationship with God has deepened over the past year, particularly as he has navigated adulthood and the pressures of public life.
"I kind of found my own relationship with God and even my faith this year," McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin rose to fame at age 13 after being cast as Lucas Sinclair on Stranger Things, which debuted in 2016 and became one of the platform’s most successful original series. The show recently premiered its fifth and final season.
JUSTIN BIEBER SAYS FAITH IN JESUS HEALED HIM AFTER MUSIC INDUSTRY ‘DIDN’T ALWAYS PROTECT MY SOUL’
Now in his mid-20s, McLaughlin said his relationship with God has remained a steady anchor as he continues to navigate life and career in the spotlight.
Although faith has always been present in his life, McLaughlin explained that it has taken on new meaning as he’s gotten older. His father is a pastor, and he said he grew up attending church, but religion was never forced on him.
"I’ve always felt a connection with God in my spirit," he said. "I can’t even remember the day it started. It’s just always been a part of me."
The actor explained how his faith grew this past year as he committed to fewer distractions and focusing on what was most important in life.
"I feel like sometimes you live your life and you kind of get into the world a little bit, and then you kind of stop praying sometimes," he said. "You’re like, ‘Alright, I’m praying before I go to sleep.’ But then you have those moments where you think, ‘Wait, I need to pray and talk to God, sit down and ground myself.’"
He said his relationship with God deepened this year as he started going to church more, praying and deleting social media.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
"I did that a lot this summer. I went to church a lot with my family, and I deleted Instagram and got off social media," he said. "I just started grounding myself more and talking to God more, and it’s been really replenishing as I step into this next level of my life as an adult."
McLaughlin credited his faith for keeping him grounded in Hollywood, where external pressures and validation concerns can be distracting.
"Sometimes you get so caught up in relying on worldly desires, like people’s validation," he said. "But when you’re able to sit down, ground yourself, and pray, and knowing that God is listening, that becomes the foundation. That’s what you can rely on any time of the day [or] year."
In earlier interviews, McLaughlin has described his career as part of a God-given "calling," telling Essence in 2022 that while acting wasn’t originally his plan, he now sees it as something brought into his life for a purpose.