A Father’s Quiet Empire in the Heart of New Jersey
I first stumbled upon Gaetano Matarazzo Jr.’s story while chasing the glow of Hollywood fame back to its roots. Like a hidden ingredient in a family recipe, Gaetano stands as the unsung hero behind one of television’s brightest young stars. Born around 1967 in the United States, with Italian blood coursing through his veins from his father’s homeland in Avellino, Gaetano built his world not on red carpets but on the warm, yeasty scent of fresh pizza dough. He settled in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, a place where the ocean whispers secrets to the pines, and family ties knot tighter than a fisherman’s line. At 59 years old as of 2026, Gaetano embodies the steady rhythm of small-town grit, a man whose hands, calloused from kneading and serving, have shaped more than just crusts.
His life unfolds like a well-folded calzone: layers of hard work, love, and unexpected spotlight. Gaetano co-owns Matarazzo’s Pizzeria and Restaurant in Egg Harbor City, a spot at 900 West White Horse Pike that has hummed with local chatter for over two decades. Picture this: Sicilian pies priced from $11 to $15, buffalo chicken slices that vanish faster than summer fireflies, and Hawaiian calzones that draw families back week after week. I imagine Gaetano behind the counter at dawn, firing up the oven, his mind already tallying the day’s rhythm. This isn’t just a business; it’s a heartbeat, pulsing with community events and the occasional surprise visit from his famous son.
The Anchor: Gaetano’s Enduring Partnership with Heather
Marriage, in Gaetano’s world, mirrors the perfect rise of dough, patient and full of promise. He tied the knot with Heather Hendrickson in 1998, a union that has weathered 28 years of joys and juggles. Heather, born around 1968 and now about 58, hails from New Jersey’s familiar soil. She’s the homemaker who turns chaos into calm, the one shuttling kids to auditions under starlit skies. I see her as the family’s quiet compass, pointing them homeward amid the whirl of showbiz.
Their story kicked off in the mid-1990s, a chance spark in a coastal township where waves crash like applause. By October 15, 1998, their first chapter arrived: daughter Sabrina. Heather’s role expanded beyond hearth and home; she became the logistics wizard, mapping routes from Little Egg Harbor to Broadway stages. In August 2025, the universe played a cosmic joke when Heather crossed paths with actress Heather Matarazzo, no relation to their clan. Fans buzzed with confusion, but it was a moment of pure, unscripted delight, a reminder that names can tangle like vines in a garden. Through it all, Heather and Gaetano stand shoulder to shoulder, their partnership a testament to shared dreams baked in the fires of everyday life.
The Matarazzo Mosaic: A Family Portrait in Three Vibrant Shades
Gaetano’s finest work is his three children’s laughing. Each has its own fire, formed in parental support. I’ll paint them vividly for you.
Sabrina Matarazzo, 27, the oldest, was born on that cool October day in 1998. She’s a Snapchat siren with 50,000 followers who posts about fashion and travel. I see her as a bright, flamboyant star who started acting in school before becoming an influencer. Sabrina credits Gaetano’s restaurant shifts for her resilience and extra cheese. She helps out in the pizza on vacations, bringing fresh vitality to the kitchen.
Gaten, a 23-year-old dynamo from New London, Connecticut, was born September 8, 2002. Gaten is the family’s supernova at 5’6″ and $5 million. Since 2016, his Emmy-nominated role as Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things has advanced him from Broadway’s Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (2011) to Les Misérables (2014). Gaten advocates for the CCD Family Foundation after being diagnosed with cleidocranial dysplasia. Dating actress Elizabeth Yu since 2018, he still visits New Jersey for pizza nights with Gaetano, who tests him on 1980s trivia. Their friendship spans generations. Gaten’s 20 million Instagram followers sometimes include the pizza.
Carmen Matarazzo, born November 10, 2003, completes the trio. Carmen, a self-taught drummer with 10,000 TikTok followers, plays rock covers and local band concerts at community college. He’s the family’s steady, soulful bass line, occasionally appearing in school plays but focused on music. Carmen repays Gaetano’s disciplined back-of-house work by protecting the clan from fame’s glare, satisfied in the shadows where true harmony grows.
To capture their essence, here’s a snapshot table of the Matarazzo crew:
| Family Member | Birth Date | Age (2026) | Role in the Family Dynamic | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaetano Matarazzo Jr. | ~1967 | 59 | Patriarch, Pizzeria Co-Owner | ’80s pop culture guru who inspired Gaten’s trivia obsession |
| Heather Matarazzo | ~1968 | 58 | Homemaker, Logistics Queen | Viral 2025 meetup with actress Heather Matarazzo |
| Sabrina Matarazzo | October 15, 1998 | 27 | Influencer, Occasional Pizzeria Helper | 50K Snapchat followers for lifestyle vibes |
| Gaten Matarazzo | September 8, 2002 | 23 | Actor, Advocate, Family Promoter | $5M net worth; Stranger Things since 2016 |
| Carmen Matarazzo | November 10, 2003 | 22 | Drummer, Community College Student | 10K TikTok fans for rock covers |
This table isn’t just numbers; it’s the family’s ledger, each entry a thread in their woven tale.
From Oven to Spotlight: Gaetano’s Career as Family Catalyst
Gaetano’s career arcs like a pizza peel flipping fate. Pre-2016, Matarazzo’s was a humble haven, but Gaten’s breakout flipped the script. The pizzeria, operational for 20-plus years, raked in an estimated $500,000 annually by 2021, buoyed by takeout surges during the pandemic. Gaetano’s hands-on helm, from menu tweaks to staff huddles, turned it into Egg Harbor City’s soul food stop. In July 2019, the family stormed Celebrity Family Feud, dueling the Maddie Ziegler crew and pocketing $25,000 for charity. Clips of their antics, especially Gaten’s zingers, rippled across the web like laughter in a crowded dining room.
Financially, Gaetano keeps cards close, but the clan’s worth swells to $6-10 million, fueled by Gaten’s $30,000-per-episode hauls from Stranger Things Season 4. Achievements stack quietly: a nod as Ocean County’s “Family Business of the Year” in 2018, per local whispers, and indirect props through Gaten’s 2022 voice role in My Father’s Dragon. Gaetano’s true win? Nurturing artists in a house humming with scripts and sheet music, where cleidocranial dysplasia became not a barrier but a badge.
I trace his timeline like footprints in wet sand, each step deliberate:
- ~1967: Birth, Italian roots from Avellino anchoring his spirit.
- 1983: At 16, absorbing ’80s vibes that later fuel family lore.
- Mid-1990s: Sparks fly with Heather.
- 1998: Wedding bells and Sabrina’s arrival.
- 2002-2003: Gaten and Carmen complete the set.
- 2011: Gaten’s Broadway leap at age 9.
- 2016: Stranger Things ignites global fire.
- 2019: Feud fame and pizza promo videos.
- 2020: Pandemic pivots keep the oven hot.
- 2022: Gaten’s Honor Society shines.
- 2025: Heather’s name twin twist.
- 2026: Gaten eyes The Pizza Movie at SXSW in March.
These markers map a life less ordinary, scripted by serendipity.
Echoes in the Dough: Recent Ripples and Social Whispers
Lately, the Matarazzos dance on fame’s edge without tumbling in. In January 2026, Gaten’s podcast spill about fan crushes nodded to their privacy fortress, a gentle boundary drawn in sand. The pizzeria buzzes with Gaten’s birthday surprises, like the 2020 Brick, New Jersey meetup for a young fan. Social spheres hum softly: Gaten’s reels tag the family eatery, Carmen’s TikToks thrum with drum solos, and Sabrina’s snaps capture sibling escapades. By 2025, post-COVID booms lifted the business, with Uber Eats reviews lauding its “authentic Italian soul” at four stars and climbing.
Gaetano, ever the shadow architect, lets these waves lap without fanfare. His influence? A subtle yeast, lifting the whole loaf higher.
FAQ
Who is Gaetano Matarazzo Jr., and why does his family matter in entertainment?
Gaetano Matarazzo Jr. is the 59-year-old father of Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo, a New Jersey pizzeria co-owner whose steady hand has guided his children’s artistic flights. His family matters because they represent the grounded counterpoint to Hollywood’s dazzle, turning personal triumphs, like Gaten’s cleidocranial dysplasia advocacy, into universal inspiration. From Broadway debuts to viral family feuds, their story underscores how ordinary roots nourish extraordinary blooms.
What are the birthdates and ages of the Matarazzo children?
Sabrina Matarazzo was born on October 15, 1998, making her 27 in 2026. Gaten Matarazzo entered the world on September 8, 2002, at 23 years old. Carmen Matarazzo, the youngest, arrived November 10, 2003, now 22. These dates mark pivotal shifts in Gaetano’s life, from newborn cries to teenage symphonies of support.
How has Gaten Matarazzo’s fame impacted the family business?
Gaten’s stardom since 2016 has infused Matarazzo’s Pizzeria with celebrity sparkle, drawing fans for $11 Sicilian slices and boosting estimated annual revenue to $500,000 by 2021. Surprise visits, like 2019’s pizza-making video with 500,000 YouTube views, turned the spot into a pilgrimage site. Yet Gaetano keeps it real, blending fame’s fizz with the daily grind of dough and deliveries.
What role does Heather Matarazzo play in the family’s success?
At 58, Heather is the unseen engine, ferrying Gaten to 2011 Broadway rehearsals and balancing home amid 2025’s name-mixup media storm. Her quiet strength, from audition carpools to charity coordination after the 2019 Family Feud win of $25,000, weaves the family’s fabric. She’s the yeast to Gaetano’s flour, ensuring their blend rises true.
Are there any lesser-known facts about Carmen Matarazzo?
Carmen, 22, drums a path less trodden, with 10,000 TikTok followers tuning into his rock covers from community college halls. Self-taught and stage-shy compared to siblings, he once drummed at family barbecues, his beats syncing with Gaetano’s oven timers. His low-key gigs shield the family from spotlight overload, a rhythmic refuge in their harmonious chaos.
