Milly Shapiro’s Tiktok Surge Rekindles Gaten Matarazzo Doppelgänger Buzz: a Full Timeline
By Sophia Al-Mansoor
Long before their viral intersection on algorithms, both Shapiro and Matarazzo followed nearly identical paths through the ultra-competitive world of New York theater. They are not merely screen actors who fell into viral visibility; they are accomplished, classically trained musical theater veterans who earned high industry honors before reaching their teens.
In 2013, Shapiro earned a Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre at just ten years old for originating the title role in Matilda the Musical on Broadway, alongside Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, and Bailey Ryon. Shapiro also secured a Grammy nomination for the show's cast recording. Simultaneously, Matarazzo was treading Broadway boards, appearing as Benjamin in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 2011 and later starring as Gavroche in the 2014 Broadway revival of Les Misérables.
Despite these mirrored trajectories through Broadway and breakout streaming and indie cinema, their lineage remains entirely separate. Matarazzo was raised in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, by parents Gaten and Heather Matarazzo. Shapiro was raised in Tampa, Florida, by parents Eric and Michelle Shapiro, alongside her older sister Abigail, who also has Cleidocranial dysplasia and works as an accomplished stage performer.
| Attribute | Gaten Matarazzo | Milly Shapiro |
|---|---|---|
| Birth Date & Hometown | September 8, 2002 (Little Egg Harbor, NJ) | July 16, 2002 (Tampa, FL) |
| Broadway Breakthrough | Priscilla (2011), Les Misérables (2014) | Matilda the Musical (Tony Honor, 2013) |
| Breakout Screen Role | Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things (2016, 2025) | Charlie Graham in Hereditary (2018) |
| Condition Presentation | Mild/Moderate CCD (multiple dental surgeries) | Mild/Moderate CCD (family-inherited form) |
| Primary Advocacy Focus | CCD Smiles non-profit; surgical access funding | Anti-bullying, disability awareness, self-advocacy |
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