Finn Wolfhard’s ‘SNL’ monologue sparks surprise ‘Stranger Things’ reunion with Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo

Finn Wolfhard used his Saturday Night Live monologue to officially announce that his child star era is over — though his Stranger Things costars Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo had other plans.

Hosting the Saturday, January 17 episode of SNL, the 23-year-old actor kicked things off by addressing life after Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers’ sci-fi juggernaut that wrapped its run in December 2025 after first premiering when Wolfhard was just 12.

Wolfhard described the end of the series as “bittersweet,” before joking about how much of his adolescence played out on screen.

“I gotta tell you, it’s so amazing that 400 million people got to watch me go through puberty,” he quipped. “What a dream.”

The show then aired a mock clip highlighting “the exact moment” Wolfhard’s voice changed, exaggerating a scene opposite Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) as his voice dropped to an absurdly deep register.

“My voice changed on camera. My first kiss was on camera. And — I can’t actually believe I’m admitting this, but — the first time I learned what a woman looks like down there was on there as well,” he added, punctuated by footage of a Demogorgon roaring.

Acknowledging that many fans still associate him with his Hawkins Middle School days, Wolfhard tried to make one thing clear.

“I know a lot of people still see me as the kid from Stranger Things, right? But I’m 23 now, and I’m proud to officially announce that I am a man.”

He continued leaning into the bit, pointing out the smallest signs of adulthood.

“Things are different now. Like, for example, I have facial hair. Can we zoom in on it? It might only be one hair, but the party starts when the first guest arrives.”

Wolfhard then attempted to drink alcohol onstage — only to spit it all over SNL cast member Marcello Hernandez.

“Too spicy!” he declared.

“Meet the new me — the man me. Stranger Things is over, and I’m not a kid anymore,” Wolfhard said.

That’s when McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair) and Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson) suddenly popped into frame, drawing cheers from the audience.

“And neither are we!” McLaughlin announced.

After soaking in the surprise reunion, Wolfhard clarified, “We’re not child stars, we’re former child stars.”

Matarazzo quickly added, “And anytime you read ‘former child star’ in a headline, it can only mean good things.”

“It’s true,” Wolfhard agreed. “So thanks to everyone who watched us grow up on the show.”

McLaughlin chimed in with a familiar fan experience: “And then went online and commented about our changing faces and bodies.”

To wrap up the monologue, Wolfhard raised a toast to his longtime castmates.

“Even though we’re now men, you’ll always be my boys,” he said, before concluding, “To us, child stars, who are now ready to do adult films.”

Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

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