Caleb McLaughlin

I got on 'Stranger Things' and it's this amazing show and I got that big break.

I live in a small town, so I know everyone in my neighborhood.

I don't want to drop an album. I feel like just throwing out music.

I never wanted to just be on Broadway, I wanted to be Simba.

I'm like, I'm not a legend or an icon. I'm just an actor.

I was just really excited to be a part of a TV show.

Well, my dad got me this gold bike, this BMX. It's super cool. But it wasn't because I'm famous.

I'm not even famous. Famous is when you're iconic and a legend, I'm just known.

I always used to say, when I was younger, that I wanted to dance with Chris Brown, but I'd need to step up my game.

I listen to a lot of John Legend and Sam Smith.

For me, part of the joy of being an actor is thinking about what he would do in certain situations and how he's matured alongside me. For example, in the beginning of 'Stranger Things,' Lucas was very high-strung and nervous. Now, he's a lot calmer and more rational in his decision-making process.

My parents never told me I couldn't do anything, I remember watching superhero movies and saying, 'I wish I had superpowers.' And my dad said, 'You do. You just have to find them.'

Sometimes, I'm like, 'Do I love acting?' And, yeah, I do. This is where I want to be. This is what I was born to do.

You know, I'm always performing, no matter where I go. It will always be a part of me.

We'll be friends in the end, but 'Stranger Things' has been a big part in my life and helped me and exposed me to the world.

I don't really have a stubborn way about myself.

I have open ears, and I have a personality to hear out other people.

I thought that I knew enough, but as I get older, I've realized that I don't know a lot.

Things happen. Friends separate. When I left school, I would check in on a friend and be like, yeah, I don't talk to that person anymore. It was just because of me not going to school.

I feel like you have moments where you're just resting at home and not on social media and you think, 'Ooh yeah, I'm on a TV show.'

I've always played young my whole life.

It's funny, a lot of people when they ask me do I do music, they think I'm a rapper. I tell them 'yeah,' and then I make up a name... It's a total lie, I'm not a rapper, I can't rap for my life.

Music has always been an important part of me. It just happened. I've sung, danced, and performed on stage most of my life so it was always just a part of me. Music has always been my baby and I take it personally.

My life has so many levels because I feel like I have to mature faster than the average person.

I can't say a specific artist inspired or influenced 'Soul Travel.'

I started professionally at 10 years old and I've been working ever since.

People that are the same colour as me say, 'You give me inspiration,' like there could be people like them onscreen. That's how I used to feel. I never thought any African-American people or people of colour could be on TV.

The music I'm going to be producing will represent who I am as Caleb. People will see a different side of who I am.

Music is my experience with people and life and the world.

It's cool to play a smooth, cool character.

If any Marvel director asked me to be in one of their movies, I would say, 'Sign me up!'

I want people to be able to be at peace with themselves and understand who they are.

Before Stranger Things, before I was able to travel around the world, I lived in my own world in small-town Carmel, New York.

I have a great team, and I have a great family behind me to help keep me grounded, keep my head straight, and just keep me focused.

Growing up in the industry... I would say most of the stuff is positive as long as you make it positive. It's only negative when you put yourself out there and don't ground yourself.

I'm not in competition with anyone but myself, and I think once I know I work hard enough for myself and I know I put my all into everything, then that's my goal. That's what I want to reach.

God has called me to do this thing called acting and the performing arts.

By 12 years old, I was working almost a 9:00 to 5:00 for two years. My day off was Monday, but I was doing schoolwork.

I really put my feet into my music, I have a say in how I want my music to sound and where I want it to go which is great.

A lot of people think that with riding a horse, you just hop on and yeehaw into the sunset.

I did a month of training with horses where I learned how to connect with the horse spiritually, mentally, everything.

It's kind of hard to describe my sound because I feel like it's different. I got some R&B, neo-soul, afrobeats; just a lot of different stuff mixed together.

I want to establish myself as a solo artist before I start to collab. Everything, for me, has to make sense.

I would love to show off - and show off my body - because I'm trying to be like Idris when I get older. Being able to share the screen with him - it's an honor.

I want to be like Idris in those superhero films.

Not everyone is the same, not everyone's perfect.

Embrace who you are because there's no one else like you in the world.

When you spread love, you feel good about yourself.

I don't know, I just try to stay confident in myself - not in a cocky way but in a humble way.

Broadway is always going to have a place in my heart. That is never gonna change!