He stars in ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Ghostbusters.’ And now he’s coming to KC Big Slick

Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler on Netflix’s hit series “Stranger Things” and co-stars with Kansas City’s Paul Rudd in the latest “Ghostbusters” movies, will make his first appearance at Kansas City’s Big Slick fundraiser for Children’s Mercy in June, organizers announced Monday.

Punkie Johnson, a “Saturday Night Live” colleague of Big Slick’s new co-host, Kansas City native Heidi Gardner, will also be a first-timer.

Other celebrity guests announced Monday: comedian Taylor Williamson from “America’s Got Talent” and Big Slick veteran Al Roker, who will have an NBC “Today” show film crew with him for the weekend.

Rudd and fellow hometown celebrities Jason Sudeikis, Rob Riggle, Eric Stonestreet and David Koechner founded and host the event, bringing an eclectic group of stars to town each June.

Wolfhard co-starred with Rudd in “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” in 2021. A sequel, as yet untitled, is due in theaters Dec. 20. The Canadian actor and musician, followed by 26 million people on Instagram, made his name on “Stranger Things.” He was 13 when he started; he is now 20.

The fifth and final season of the series was set to begin filming in June but has been suspended until the writers strike ends.

Wolfhard also starred in the horror film “It” and the sequel. Most recently he starred with Julianne Moore in the drama “When You Finish Saving the World,” his first movie as an adult and actor Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut.

Moore gushed to GQ that Wolfhard is “incredibly intelligent, very observant, really curious … he’s amazing. He’s a star.”

And, she added: “He’s beautiful.” Wolfhard has starred in a couple of campaigns for French fashion house Saint Laurent.

Maybe a little runway action is due at Big Slick this year? For a few years, the event included a red carpet moment for fans.

Big Slick events

▪ The Big Slick Celebrity Classic softball game will be played at Kauffman Stadium on June 2 before the Royals play the Colorado Rockies. Anyone with a game ticket can watch.

▪ The Big Slick Party & Show is the weekend’s main event at 8 p.m. June 3. Tickets are $75-$125 for standard lower level and $375 for upgraded seats with Founders Club access including open bar. Tickets are at bigslickkc.org and T-MobileCenter.com.

The celebrity guest list so far

Organizers are naming the celebrity guests a few at a time each day. Here’s who has already been announced:

▪ Becky Ann Baker, actress, “Freaks and Geeks” and “Girls” (married to Dylan Baker)

▪ Dylan Baker, actor, Amazon’s “Hunters” and “Happiness” (married to Becky Ann Baker)

▪ Aisling Bea, actress, “Living With Yourself”

▪ David Cook, Blue Springs native, musician and “American Idol” winner

▪ Sean Evans, host of YouTube’s “Hot Ones”

▪ Will Forte, actor, “MacGruber,” “The Last Man on Earth,” “The Great North”

▪ Ginger Gonzaga, CBS’ “True Lies,” “She-Hulk” and “Attorney at Law’”

▪ Tim Heidecker, comedian, Showtime’s “Moonbase 8”

▪ Seth Herzog, comedian

▪ Bradley James, actor, BBC’s “Merlin” and Netflix’s “Vikings: Valhalla”

▪ Samm Levine, “Raven’s Home” and “Freaks and Geeks”

▪ Kevin Pollak, actor, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

▪ The Potash Twins, musicians and TV personalities

▪ Kevin Rahm, actor, “Madam Secretary,” “Lethal Weapon,” “Mad Men”

▪ Darius Rucker, musician

▪ Peter Schrager, Fox Sports

▪ Jake Tapper, CNN anchor

▪ Charissa Thompson, Fox Sports

▪ Sarah Tiana, comedian, “Lights Out With David Spade”

▪ Joe Lo Truglio, actor, “Reno 911!,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (Directorial debut, “Outpost,” features the Bakers.)

▪ Blake Vogt, magician

▪ Al Yankovic, musician