Dustin Henderson

Dustin Henderson
Stranger Things character
Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson in the fourth season
First appearance	Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers (2016)
Created by	The Duffer Brothers
Portrayed by	Gaten Matarazzo
Voiced by	Braxton Quinney (Tales from '85)
In-universe information
Nickname	Toothless Dusty-Bun
Occupation	Student
Significant other	Suzie Bingham (girlfriend)
Relatives	Claudia Henderson (mother)
Home	Hawkins, Indiana, United States
Nationality	American

Dustin Henderson is a fictional character from the Netflix science fiction horror television series Stranger Things , portrayed by Gaten Matarazzo. He is one of the central characters in the series, introduced in season one alongside Mike, Will, and Lucas, the main group of best friends. He is often cited as one of the most loved characters from the show, noted for being the witty, science-loving key member of "the Party," and for his distinctive charm and loyalty.

Casting and Concept

Gaten Matarazzo originally auditioned for the role of Mike, along with Noah Schnapp, but he was ultimately offered the role of Dustin.

The Duffer Brothers conceived Dustin Henderson as the "heart" and intellectual, yet vulnerable, anchor of the Stranger Things ensemble, designed to break 1980s tropes by elevating the "nerdy sidekick" to a crucial, brilliant leader. He was originally designed as a blend of classic 80s movie characters, specifically combining the "chubby kid" archetype (like Chunk from The Goonies ) with the smart-mouthed, witty, and essential, yet often overlooked, teammate (like Mouth).

Fictional character biography

Season 1

Dustin is the best friend of Mike, Will and Lucas. He is a smart and quick-witted boy whose cleidocranial dysplasia causes him to lisp. In the Dungeons & Dragons party, Dustin is the Bard and has arguably the most extensive knowledge of the game, particularly the monsters. Dustin is also shown to possess a keen grasp of physics, often being the one to explain the science behind the paranormal happenings at Hawkins to his friends. In season one, after Will goes missing, Dustin joins his friends Mike, Lucas, and the new member, Eleven in uncovering the truth behind Will Byers's disappearance and helps Eleven locate him in the Upside Down.

Season 2

In season two, things start with the introduction of Max Mayfield who both Dustin and Lucas vie for attention, causing a tension between the two, but ultimately making up before Lucas and Max begin dating. Meanwhile, Dustin secretly adopts a strange creature that he names Dart, later discovering it is a juvenile Demogorgon. After Dart escapes, Dustin teams up with Steve to stop a Demogorgon invasion through the underground tunnels connected to the Upside Down, forming a close friendship with him in the process which continues throughout the rest of the series.

Season 3

In season three, Dustin reveals he has a long-distance girlfriend, Suzie, whom his friends initially doubt exists. While using a homemade radio tower he built (Cerebro) at Camp Know Where, to contact her, Dustin accidentally intercepts a Russian transmission and teams up with Steve, Robin and Erica to decode it, ultimately helping the gang discover the secret Soviet base beneath Starcourt Mall, culminating in rescuing Erica and facing the Mind Flayer.

Season 4

In season four, Dustin joins the Hellfire Club and forms a close bond with its leader, Eddie Munson. After a series of supernatural murders, Dustin identifies the killer as Vecna and assists in the plan to stop him. While distracting Upside Down creatures with Eddie, Dustin witnesses Eddie’s death and later informs Eddie’s uncle of his sacrifice, calling him a hero.

Season 5

In season five, Dustin struggles with grief over Eddie’s death, becoming withdrawn and confrontational before rejoining his friends after Vecna kidnaps several children. He enters the Upside Down with Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan, where he uncovers research identifying the Upside Down as a gateway to the Abyss, and helps stop Vecna’s plan to merge the dimensions together. After Vecna and the Mind Flayer are defeated and Eleven is believed dead in the destruction of the Upside Down; Dustin delivers a defiant valedictorian speech at graduation honoring Eddie, and later plays a final game of Dungeons & Dragons with his friends.

In other media

In the 2026 animated spin-off series Stranger Things: Tales from '85 , Dustin is voiced by Braxton Quinney.

References

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1. "Dustin's Stranger Things Epilogue Speech Is a Brilliant Eddie Callback". ScreenRant. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
2. "Stranger Things Season 5 Tragically Pays Off Steve & Dustin's Fractured Friendship". ScreenRant. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
3. "Stranger Things Main Characters Ranked: Best Character Arc". ScreenRant. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
4. Guglielmi, Jodi. "'Stranger Things' Kids Audition Tapes: How They Got Cast". People. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
5. "Stranger Things: Gaten Matarazzo on Dustin, Steve & Grief". Mashable. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
6. Romano, Evan. "The Top 20 'Stranger Things' Characters Ranked". Men’s Health. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
7. Hibberd, James. "Stranger Things Season 3 Review: A Slight Improvement Over 2". Time. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
8. "Stranger Things Characters: The Best (& Worst)". IndieWire. Retrieved 6 January 2026.