Archie Heaton mother Akiko Matsuura was the frontrunner in the British band Comanechi. Akiko initially played drums before Charlie Heaton joined the group.
Archie is the newest celebrity child on the block. Born as the son of Charlie Heaton on May 19, 2014, the kid has become an internet sensation despite his young age.
His father Charlie is the notorious Jonathan Myers from the Netflix series Stranger Things. The horror-thriller is one of the most successful original production of the streaming giant.
The show made the cast overnight stars and even revamped the careers of actors like Winona Ryder and David Harbour. Heaton also found immediate fame after the release of season one. His quirky and socially awkward portrayal of the character became a hit with critics and viewers alike.
Besides Heaton, Stranger Things featured a cast consisting of actors like Joe Keery, Gaten Matarazzo, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, and Priah Ferguson.
The show didn’t just help Heaton with his professional career, but also with his personal life. As you may know, he found the love of his life on the show.
Charlie is dating the beautiful Natalia Dyers, who also plays his onscreen girlfriend Nancy Wheeler. However, you may be surprised to know that Natalia is not Archie’s mom.
Archie Heaton Parents Were a Teenage Couple
Archie Heaton mother Akiko Matsuura is a Japanese singer and drummer. The Stranger Things actor Charlie met Akiko when he was a teenager.
Archie’s parents both performed for the English band Comanechi. Charlie performed as the drummer of the group, whereas Akiki was the singer and frontrunner. Besides the two, the band also included a guitarist named Simon Petrovich.
As of 2023, the band is no longer in existence.
Akiko Matsuura
Akiko is a Japanese musician currently living in England. She serves as the frontrunner of the English noise rock band PRE.
Likewise, Matsuura also serves as the drummer and backing vocals for the electronic rock group called The Big Pink.
Her first band PRE was formed around 2005 and consists of members like Matt Warburton, Kevin Hendrix, John Webb, and Richard Bennett.
Further, the group mostly releases music under the record labels Lovepump United and Skin Graft Records. Some of their songs include Gang of Wire, Drool, Dudefuk, and Ace Cook.
Meanwhile, her other band The Big Pink was founded by Milo Cordell and Robert Furze, also known as Robbie, in 2008. Besides Akiko and the two founding members, the group also includes English musician Charlie Barker.
Charlie Heaton
Charlie is an English actor and musician. He made his acting breakthrough in the Netflix famous original show Stranger Things.
Heaton played the role of Jonathan Byers in the horror-thriller series created by the Duffer brothers. Jonathan is the elder brother of Will Byers, the missing kid from season 1, and the son of Joyce Byers [played by Winona Ryder].
The 29-year-old actor flawlessly portrayed a socially awkward but well-meaning character in the series. Also, he is one of the few actors to appear in all 34 episodes of Stranger Things.
For his portrayal of Jonathan Byers, Heaton has been thrice nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Awards in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series category; he won once in 2017. The actor’s career is impressive considering the fact that he has no formal acting training.
Besides Stranger Things, Charlie has 15 more acting credits, according to his IMDb profile. Some of his notable works include Casualty, Rise of the Footsoldier: Part II, Shut In, The New Mutants, and more.
Heaton initially started his career as a musician. After he shifted to London at the age of 16, he performed for a number of bands. He eventually joined Comanechi, a noise-rock band, as its drummer and remained with the group for over a year. After departing from Comanechi, he became a member of Half Loon.
In recent years, the Leeds native has also seen exponential growth in his social media following. As of March 2023, he has 6.2 million followers on his official Instagram profile.
Charlie Heaton and Akiko Matsuura Relationship Timeline
Charlie and Akiko first met as members of the band Comanechi in the early 2010s.
As they became familiar with each other as band members, a close formed between them which eventually took a romantic turn.
During their time together as a couple, Heaton and Matsuura cautiously kept their relationship away from the media. The relationship only came to light after the arrival of their only child Archie on May 19, 2014.
Unfortunately, the relationship soon suffered its demise when Archie was only a few months old.
Charlie later commenced a romance with his Stranger Things co-star Natalia Dyer, who plays Nancy Wheeler. Coincidentally, the couple also plays lovers in the Netflix series.
Heaton and Dyer’s relationship began shortly after the series premiere. As of 2023, the two are going strong but continue to maintain a casual romance.
Akiko Matsuura Was Accused Of Lying About Her Age
Charlie Heaton and Akiko Matsuura age difference is a massive 13 years. Akiko is 42 years old and Charlie is just 29.
She was born in Osaka, Japan, on November 2, 1980. The Japanese musician is significantly older than her former partner Charlie. He was born in Leeds, England, on February 6, 1994.
The age gap between the two has been a concerning factor for many of the actor’s fans who believe he was too young to father a son in 2014.
Meanwhile, there seems to be confusion surrounding Akiko’s real age. While the musician is reported to be 42 years old by most online sources, magazines like Romper and Mirror have determined Matsuura’s age to be the same as Charlie, i.e. around 29 years old.
Akiko Grooming Allegations
Time and again, Matsuura has been accused of grooming Charlie into having a baby.
As per reports, Charlie was 18 when he started dating Akiko and 20 when he became a father to Archie. Many of his fans have questioned whether the Netflix actor was ready to father a child or if he was manipulated into having the kid.
The accusers, however, haven’t considered that Heaton was not famous when he dated Akiko and became her baby father. So, the accusations that she was after his money can be dismissed.
Likewise, Matsuura was significantly more popular than Charlie during their relationship. Also, the band Comanechi was founded by Akiko; Heaton joined the group after a few years of its formation.
So, the grooming allegations against the Japanese musician seem personally targeted without a valid justification. The accusations also show the double standard of our society as the reverse case with a younger woman doesn’t face any backlash.
Fortunately, the allegations have not affected the amicable relationship between the two as they continue to remain on friendly terms to co-parent their son.
Who Has Charlie Heaton Son Custody?
Charlie Heaton son custody is granted to Akiko; the Stranger actor also regularly visits his young child.
Archie is being raised primarily by his mom who is doing an excellent job at protecting the kid’s privacy. Her former partner, however, spends significantly less time with the kid. But, it’s not because of a dispute between the two.
Instead, Archie’s father is focused on his acting career at the moment to provide a better and more financially stable future for the eight-year-old.
Charlie and Akiko divided Archie’s custody by mutual agreement and not because of a court-mandated order. In the meantime, Charlie is free to visit his son and spend quality time with him.
Matsuura currently lives in London with her son Archie. On the other hand, Heaton splits his time between the UK and the US.