Death Anxiety: Actor’s Religious Journey

Gaten Matarazzo, known for his role in "Stranger Things," once had a lot of anxiety about death. He believes this was linked to his religious upbringing. The 22-year-old actor, who comes from an Italian Catholic family but attended a Methodist church as a child, says he isn’t very spiritual at the moment. When Matarazzo was younger and more religious, death scared him constantly. He even experienced panic attacks because of what he learned about religion. The fear was particularly strong when he first heard about hell at age 10. This is different from how many people feel close to their religions. Matarazzo wishes he could have that connection too.Matarazzo started questioning his beliefs as he got older. He realized that the teachings, which said bad things would happen if you didn't believe certain things, were causing him anxiety. It’s important for people to think about what they believe and how it affects them. Matarazzo has shared that having cleidocranial dysostosis, a rare genetic condition affecting bones and teeth, also shaped his journey.