Finn Wolfhard gushes Pope Leo XIV is ‘cool'
The Stranger Things actor, 22, has been a familiar face on screen since his early teens and while navigating international fame continued to attend a local Catholic school during the show's early seasons rather than opting for homeschooling like many of his young co-stars.
Now, with over a decade in the public eye, Finn said in a chat with Variety in which he reflectied on the intersection of faith, politics, anxiety and growing up in front of the world: 'Pope Leo XIV looks like a cool liberal guy who actually cares about people.
'I'm pretty agnostic now, but religion was a big part of my childhood.'
Despite describing himself as politically active, Finn added he prefers to stay largely private when it comes to public discourse.
He said: 'I am active in my personal life and try not to be in public.
'But I also know how that sounds in the sense of 'Everyone has a platform' and 'I should be more… '.'
In particular, Finn identified two causes he is deeply committed to – Ukraine and Indigenous land rights. His father, an attorney, advocates for the latter.
Finn added: 'I think the amount that the government gets away with, by just f****** over so many Indigenous groups.
'They have to fight the government to try to get money from them for stolen land – it's just insane.'
Finn also supports Ukraine through monthly donations to United24, a fundraising platform launched by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Finn also opened up about how the challenges of fame were compounded by early-onset anxiety, which he says was formally diagnosed.
'Diagnosed, yeah,' he said.
Finn added: 'Then I started seeing a therapist. It's something that's worked for me. I can either try to bury that stuff and just do project after project, not think about it, or be able to ask myself these questions.'
Finn is currently single and describes his current focus as being firmly on his work.
But when asked about his relationship status, he struggled to form a complete thought.
He said: 'I'm single and like… I feel like that's something that I'm also kind of thinking about right now is just like… this is the time kind of where I have been doing the most work kind of in my life.
'So I feel like it's been kind of… maybe it's been subconsciously – what's the word? – deliberate?, to not have a committed partner.
'Just because I'm 22, I don't really want to put my… also considering how… at the rate that I'm traveling all the time and working and stuff, I just feel like it's not the time to do that.'
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