Joseph Quinn has seen a meteoric rise in celebrity since starring as Eddie Munson on “Stranger Things.” Coming face-to-face with his fans at a meet-and-greet in London, though, he was overwhelmed by seeing firsthand just how much they all loved him.
Quinn appeared Saturday at the London Film and Comic Con, intending to shake his fans’ hands and speak with them for a while. Due to an overwhelming number of attendees, though, security reportedly yelled at the 29-year-old for spending too much time with each fan, instructing him to shut up and move on so they could get through the line quicker.
“Joseph Quinn was so sweet with every visitor even though showmasters overbooked his photo sessions and the organization was poor overall,” one person wrote on Twitter. “I just hope he won’t go home feeling bad about this day, he tried to engage fans but security stopped him, sometimes very harshly.”
During a Q&A the next day, one fan named Kimberley Burrows was moved to thank the British actor for how he handled the incident.
“Hi, mine’s not really a question, it’s more of an extension of gratitude, really,” Burrows said. “I’m sure a lot of us have heard what happened to you yesterday, whether it’s true or not, about how you were treated. I won’t really comment on it, but just wanted to say thank you from all of us, we’re really grateful that you’re sharing your time.
“Thank you for signing our things, for spending time with us, and making our summer,” she continued after the crowd applauded. “I think we’ve all really connected with Eddie for one reason or another.”
Quinn could be seen visibly tearing up throughout Burrows’ speech, while the crowd sniffled at his visible emotion.
“Aw, why’d you do that?” he said at the end, wiping tears from his eyes.
Speaking to NBC News on Tuesday, Burrows shared more about her experience, adding context to why she was so moved.
Burrows, who is blind, had shown up to the meet and greet with her guide dog, Tami, saying it was “terrifying” being in such an overcrowded area without knowing how he’d react to the dog. Although they didn’t get much time to speak, the 33-year-old said Quinn was “extremely gracious and attentive,” even taking a photo with her and the dog.
“He was genuinely interested in finding out more about me and doing the pose I wanted to do with all three of us together — where we did the Eddie horns above Tami’s head,” Burrows said. “He pulled me into a huge hug at the end and thanked me for being there and traveling for him.
“Being blind is still very hard for me to navigate four years on but he made me feel so welcome and so valued, and I wanted to extend the feeling he gave to me,” she said.