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Elizabeth Yu: The Quiet Star Behind Gaten Matarazzo's Hollywood Spotlight

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  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/11/27 .. ehind-gaten-matarazzo-s-hollywood-spotlight.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Thursday, November 27th 2025 at 9:10 GMT by People

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Elizabeth Yu: The Quiet Star Behind Gaten Matarazzo’s Hollywood Spotlight

When Gaten Matarazzo—best known for his breakout role as Dustin Henderson on Netflix’s “Stranger Things”—stepped out of the world of show business and into the public eye, it wasn’t his on‑screen charisma that stole the headlines. It was his relationship with a young woman whose own story is one of ambition, community, and quiet determination. Elizabeth Yu, Matarazzo’s girlfriend, has become a familiar face at the very events where the actor’s fame is celebrated, but beyond the paparazzi shots and Instagram stories lies a portrait of a student who is carving her own path with a mix of intellect, creativity, and grounded values.

Early Life and Background

Elizabeth Yu was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, a region that blends cutting‑edge tech culture with a rich mosaic of cultural traditions. Her family roots trace back to mainland China, and she was raised in a bilingual household where Mandarin was spoken at home while English dominated the schools and wider community. Yu’s parents, both engineers, encouraged her to pursue both academic excellence and extracurricular passions from a young age.

In elementary and middle school, Yu displayed a keen interest in the sciences and the arts—especially in robotics and visual design. She was a member of the school robotics team, earning recognition for her role in building and programming small autonomous robots for regional competitions. Simultaneously, she took art classes and spent weekends sketching and learning the fundamentals of digital illustration.

College Years and Academic Focus

After graduating from a local public high school with honors, Yu enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, where she majored in Computer Science with a minor in Fine Arts. Her coursework covered everything from algorithms and data structures to graphic design and interactive media. The dual nature of her studies allowed her to pursue internships that merged technology and creativity, such as a summer program at a Silicon Valley startup that focused on developing educational apps for visually impaired users.

During her sophomore year, Yu began volunteering with the campus community outreach program, helping to teach coding workshops to under‑served high‑school students in Oakland. She also contributed her artistic skills to a campus magazine, designing layouts and illustrations that complemented the magazine’s social‑justice focus. In addition, Yu’s involvement in student government helped her hone leadership skills, culminating in her serving as the chair of the STEM Equity Committee.

Meeting Gaten Matarazzo

Yu and Matarazzo first crossed paths during a campus event at the Berkeley Student Union. While Matarazzo was attending a local charity benefit for young actors, Yu was there volunteering as a volunteer coordinator. The two struck up a conversation, discovering shared interests in science fiction, music, and activism. According to Yu, “We both love the idea of using tech and art to make a difference.” Their relationship evolved organically from a friendship into a partnership that would ultimately see them attending award ceremonies and viral Instagram moments side by side.

The two were first photographed together at the 2023 “Best of the Year” ceremony where Matarazzo received a Teen Choice Award. Their photo, shared on both their Instagram accounts, showcased Yu’s subtle yet striking style—an eclectic mix of vintage denim, an oversized graphic tee, and a signature gold hoop. Their public appearances together have been noted for their authenticity; neither seems to be concerned with staging a “perfect” couple look, which is refreshing in an industry often preoccupied with image.

Career Aspirations and Current Projects

While Yu’s public life is largely shaped by her relationship with Matarazzo, her own professional journey is equally compelling. During the pandemic, she took up freelance graphic design work for small non‑profit organizations. Her most notable project was a digital campaign for a Bay Area food‑bank, where she created a series of interactive infographics that helped the organization raise 30 % more donations than the previous year. She credits her success to a blend of technical skill and storytelling—a core component of her education.

Yu has also been working on a personal passion project: a mobile game that teaches basic coding concepts to children aged 8‑12. The game, still in beta, uses storytelling, colorful characters, and rewarding progress bars to motivate learning. “I want to give kids the same excitement I felt when I first built a robot,” Yu says.

Beyond her tech projects, Yu is an avid photographer and has been featured in several local art shows for her landscape photography. Her favorite subjects are the foggy mornings over the San Francisco skyline, capturing the interplay between light and architecture.

Personal Values and Public Persona

What makes Elizabeth Yu stand out is her blend of humility and conviction. She often stresses the importance of “small acts of kindness” and “continuous learning.” When people ask her about her relationship with Matarazzo, she tends to downplay the celebrity factor and highlight the simple moments that matter—sharing a cup of coffee, brainstorming a new coding idea, or simply watching a movie together.

Yu’s Instagram feed—accessible through the link [ @elizabeth_yu_official ] —provides a behind‑the‑scenes look at her daily life. From snapshots of her study desk to candid photos with her friends, the account reflects a real‑life blend of ambition and joy. She uses the platform to spotlight causes she cares about, from STEM education for girls to mental health awareness in the Asian‑American community.

The Road Ahead

With the momentum from her academic pursuits and creative projects, Yu is set to enter the tech industry after graduation. She plans to join a social‑impact startup in the Bay Area, where she can combine her software skills with her passion for community service. Simultaneously, she intends to keep developing her gaming project and possibly expand it into an educational platform that partners with schools nationwide.

As Gaten Matarazzo continues to rise in Hollywood, Elizabeth Yu is carving her own narrative—one that values intellect, compassion, and a dedication to making a tangible difference. While her presence in the spotlight is partly amplified by her boyfriend’s fame, it is her own achievements and character that shine most brightly.

Whether you see her in the crowd at the Oscars, or at a tech conference in San Francisco, Elizabeth Yu’s story serves as a reminder that behind every celebrity relationship, there is a partnership rooted in respect, shared passions, and the pursuit of meaningful goals. The young woman in the green jacket who holds her hand while the world cheers for her boyfriend is, in truth, a young woman forging her own path—one that is sure to inspire many in the years to come.