Gaten Matarazzo and Elizabeth Yu: Inside the Rare 8-Year Hollywood Romance That Began at Age 15
By Chloe Bennett
While Yu has spent significant stretches working on film sets in western Canada and regional shoot locations, Matarazzo's creative home frequently sits along the Broadway theater district. His stage roots run deep, dating back to childhood runs in Les Misérables and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Between screen obligations, Matarazzo tackled major stage work, appearing as Jared Kleinman in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway before taking on the demanding role of Tobias Ragg in the 2023 revival of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street alongside Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford. Stage performance requires unrelenting physical discipline, with eight shows a week leaving zero room for erratic social routines.
During this grueling stage run, Yu was frequently seen backstage or attending opening nights. The couple coordinated their professional travel calendars to ensure neither was left entirely adrift during lengthy filming shoots or stage contracts. This mutual professional understanding, recognizing that artistic preparation requires long hours of isolation and total focus, insulated them from the standard misunderstandings that often derail relationships between actors and non-industry partners.
Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.
