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, Kimberley Burrows, who took part in a Q&A segment of the convention, that made Quinn emotional.
Burrows, 33, who is blind and uses a guide dog, had met Quinn earlier while attending the convention, and said it was "terrifying" meeting the actor because she didn't know how he'd respond to her guide dog. She said she didn't get to say much to him during the meet and greet, and without visual clues, the overcrowded area was hard to navigate, but added the photo opportunity with the actor was "beautiful."
During their meeting, Burrows said Quinn was "extremely gracious and attentive" and even took a photo with her guide dog, Tami.
"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."
Burrows said when it came time for the Q&A with Quinn, she raised her hand to speak because she wanted to thank him for his kindness with her and Tami, as well as with his other fans.
"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.
Video of the moment showed Quinn sitting on a black couch stage, legs crossed, as he listened to Burrows 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," Burrows 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," Burrows 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."
Burrows 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," Burrows 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.
