The Other Stranger Things Character Caleb McLaughlin Would Love To Play
When Caleb McLaughlin landed the role of Lucas Sinclair in the hit Netflix series "Stranger Things," he didn't necessarily have an instant connection with the character. McLaughlin shared in an interview with Revolt how, throughout production for Season 1, he learned all the ins and outs of Lucas — how he reacts in different situations, takes rejection, and responds to death. By the end of the premiere season and at the start of "Stranger Things 2," after embodying Lucas for nearly eight months of filming, he felt one with the Hawkins native. In fact, McLaughlin's mother noticed how, at home, he tended to act and sound like Lucas, who he gave a slightly higher and softer pitch: "When I leave, I still kind of have him inside me."
Over the four seasons of "Stranger Things," Lucas experiences quite the arc. He shifts from loving Dungeons & Dragons and "Ghostbusters" to embarking on his first relationship with Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink). In "Stranger Things 4," he attempts to avoid bullying by joining the high school basketball team, all while trying to maintain his friendship with Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) and Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo). By the end, he realizes what truly matters in his life and no longer cares about being accepted by the "cool" guys.
For his work as Lucas, McLaughlin has been nominated for a slew of awards and, in 2018, took home an NAACP Image Award for outstanding performance by a youth (series, special, television movie, or limited series). It's hard to imagine McLaughlin portraying anyone else on "Stranger Things." But if given the chance, he has someone in mind.
Caleb McLaughlin would love to play Jim Hopper
One of the most beloved aspects of "Stranger Things" is its diverse cast of characters. From core faces like fierce mom Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) to short-lived but impactful individuals, including Slurpee-loving Alexei (Alec Utgoff) and troubled Billy Hargrove (Dacre Montgomery), it can be hard to choose a favorite. But during an adorable interview with Buzzfeed Celeb, as part of its "Playing with Puppies" series, Caleb McLaughlin didn't hesitate to name which "Stranger Things" character he'd jump at the chance to play: Jim Hopper (David Harbour), Hawkins' chief of police.
"You know what it is? I love David as an actor so much," he said. McLaughlin also enjoyed Hopper's drastic transition from a cranky, borderline alcoholic bachelor to a caring father figure for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). For his work on "Stranger Things," Harbour was nominated for two Emmy Awards for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series in 2017 and 2018.
Harbour told GQ that he wouldn't mind seeing somebody younger portray Hopper. "At this point, I think Hopper is a character that can exist independent of me. If they wanna go back in time, forward in time ... I'd love to see another actor play Hopper and see what they can bring to it," he said. His pick for a young Hopper would be "The Kissing Booth" and "Euphoria" star Jacob Elordi. Harbour said, "He could pull off being as handsome as I was at 20."