Joseph Quinn, who plays the internet’s favorite outcast in season four of “Stranger Things,” went viral on TikTok after video showed him being moved to tears by a fan at London Film and Comic Con.
Quinn, who made his “Stranger Things” debut in May as metalhead Eddie Munson, has become a fan favorite on social media. Thousands of videos dedicated to Quinn’s character have been posted to platforms like TikTok and hashtags like “#EddieMunson” have racked up more than 7.6 billion views on TikTok. A hashtag of Quinn’s name has more than 2.5 billion views.
At a meet and greet at London Film and Comic Con on Saturday, a video of Quinn appears to show him being told by event staff not to interact with fans beyond signing autographs in order to move the line more quickly. NBC News has reached out to Showmasters for comment on the alleged incident.
Fans initially took to social media to praise Quinn.
“Went to lfcc yesterday, my first ever con and was amazed at the wonderful demeanour Joseph Quinn managed to maintain throughout the day despite the horrendous treatment he recieved by showmasters at what should have been his exciting first con experience,” one person tweeted of their experience at the convention.
Another person tweeted that the way Quinn was treated was “disgusting.”
But it was one fan, who took part in a Q&A segment of the convention, that made Quinn emotional.
Video of the moment showed Quinn sitting on a black couch stage, legs crossed, as he listened to the unidentified fan speak.
“This isn’t really a question, it’s more of an extension of gratitude. I’m sure a lot of us heard what happened yesterday,” the fan said, referencing the reports that Quinn was yelled at by staff. “I just wanted to say thank you from all of us. We’re really grateful you’re spending the time.”
The crowd cheered, with others shouting “thank you” as the speaker paused.
“I think we’ve all really connected with Eddie for one reason or another,” the fan said of Quinn’s “Stranger Things” character. “Whether we liked his music taste or that he is the outsider … we’ve all traveled far because we all really connect with you as well.”
The fan told Quinn that he had made her weekend special, and that, when it was her turn to meet him at the meet and greet, he was “really kind” to her and her guide dog.
At this point, Quinn wiped tears and covered part of his face with his hand.
“With how you were treated yesterday … we’re just so grateful. Thank you,” the fans said.
Quinn then used his sleeve to wipe his face and the crowd cheered.
After composing himself, Quinn joked, “Now, why’d you do that?”
The original video, which was unavailable as of Tuesday afternoon, had roughly 20 million views and more than 5 million likes on TikTok as of Tuesday morning. However, the interaction has been reposted to TikTok at least a dozen times.
Representatives for Quinn did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
