Archie Heaton is the 11-year-old son of Stranger Things actor Charlie Heaton and Japanese musician Akiko Matsuura. Born on May 19, 2014, in London, Archie’s existence wasn’t publicly known until 2017, three years after his birth. He lives primarily with his mother in London while his father maintains a career in Hollywood, creating a transatlantic co-parenting arrangement between the former bandmates.
Biography
Archie Heaton was born on May 19, 2014, in London, England. He’s currently 11 years old and in Year 6 at a local London school. His zodiac sign is Taurus, and he holds British nationality with mixed ethnicity (Japanese and English). Archie has blonde hair and dark brown eyes.
His father was just 20 years old when Archie was born, right as Charlie was transitioning from music to acting. Two years later, Charlie landed his breakthrough role as Jonathan Byers in Stranger Things, which brought international fame to the family.
Archie’s childhood has been kept private. He has no social media presence, and his parents haven’t created any official accounts for him. Charlie has never shared photos of his son publicly. His paternal grandparents are Crispy Heaton and Shelly Lowe, while his maternal grandparents ran a restaurant in Osaka, Japan.
Parents’ Relationship and Separation
Charlie Heaton and Akiko Matsuura’s love story began in London’s underground music scene around 2012. Charlie, who’d moved to London at 16 to chase his musical dreams, joined the noise-rock band Comanechi as a drummer. There he met Akiko, the band’s charismatic frontwoman, who was approximately 14 years his senior. She was around 32, he was 18. Despite the significant age gap, they fell in love.
The couple lived just five minutes apart in East London and toured England together for about 18 months. Their relationship was intense and artistic, fuelled by their shared passion for experimental music. However, when Archie was born in May 2014, the couple separated just a few months later. Neither has publicly disclosed the reasons for their split, choosing instead to focus on co-parenting their son.
The separation came at a challenging time for both parents. Akiko faced significant hardship as a new single mother, having lived in a converted shipping container near a railway track during her pregnancy. Seven months pregnant, she moved to an emergency bedsit hostel, a period she later described as the “lowest point” of her life. She and baby Archie left the hostel when he was 11 months old, gradually rebuilding their lives together.
Meanwhile, Charlie left Comanechi around 2015 and pivoted to acting full-time. His timing proved fortuitous. In 2016, he landed the role of Jonathan Byers in Stranger Things, and that same year, he began dating co-star Natalia Dyer. Their relationship has now lasted nearly a decade, though they remain extremely private about whether Natalia has met Archie or plays any stepparent role in his life.
Life with His Mother
Archie’s primary home is in London with his mother, Akiko Matsuura. Despite the early struggles of single motherhood, Akiko has created a stable environment for her son while maintaining her music career. She reportedly schedules her band rehearsals during Archie’s school hours.
In a June 2022 Twitter post, Akiko shared that Archie taught her “true love was unconditional and everlasting.” She’s spoken about wanting to be there for him during difficult times in his life, expressing her desire for him to feel comfortable talking to her about anything at any stage of his development.
The custody arrangement sees Archie living with his mother full-time, with Charlie visiting when his filming schedule permits. According to a 2017 source, Charlie would “jump across the pond to London to see their son” between auditions and filming commitments. However, this arrangement faced its most significant test during the COVID-19 pandemic when travel restrictions prevented Charlie from seeing Archie for over a year.
Relationship with His Father
In November 2025, Charlie Heaton made his most substantial public comments about fatherhood to date in an interview with Wonderland Magazine. “Being a young father, you have to grow up very fast,” he reflected candidly. “You have to also learn ethical priorities, too, and you’ve got to look after somebody. That’s a big thing.”
The actor acknowledged that distance is “the hard part” of his parenting arrangement but described it as “part of the sacrifice.” Based in Los Angeles for his acting career, Charlie maintains his connection with Archie through regular visits to London whenever possible. It’s a challenging arrangement that requires constant juggling of filming schedules, international travel, and the simple desire to be present in his son’s life.
Charlie’s discretion about his private life extends to his son. For 11 years, he’s successfully kept Archie out of the spotlight, sharing no photos or personal details publicly. This protective approach stands in stark contrast to many celebrity parents who document their children’s lives on social media. It’s a deliberate choice that prioritises Archie’s right to a normal childhood over public interest.