Noah Schnapp, a teen celebrity, appeared in a TikTok video posted on Thursday, January 5, 2023, with the message:
“After being afraid in the closet for 18 years, when I eventually informed my friends and family I was homosexual, all they replied was ‘we know.’”
Schnapp is most recognized for his role as Will Byers in Netflix’s sci-fi horror thriller Stranger Things. The actor noted in the video that he is more similar to Will than he previously realized. Fans often assumed that Will’s character was homosexual and had emotions for his closest buddy Mike. In July 2022, the actor and creators, the Duffer Brothers, validated this notion subtextually in the most current season and in separate interviews.
As soon as the news broke, netizens went to Twitter to express their astonishment and happiness, with the hashtags #NoahSchnappCameOut and #NoahSchnapp quickly trending. @llandrykonan made the following comment:
noah schnapp coming out as gay is a great way to start 2023
— landry (@llandrykonan) January 6, 2023
“Wasn’t on my 2023 bingo card, but what a victory,” said Twitter users in favor of Noah Schnapp.
The Twitterati were ecstatic with Noah Schnapp’s TikTok video and praised him on it. Many others praised Noah for “feeling secure enough to share” the news with everyone and were relieved that he could do so “on his own terms.” Others mentioned Noah’s affection for Will Byers and expressed delight in Noah portraying a homosexual character and being able to bring out the subtleties required for the part. Some others were encouraged by the fact that someone from the “largest TV program” was able to come out.
However, a few responses brought up a bad running joke among Stranger Things fans that Noah Schnapp’s Stranger Things co-star, Millie Bobby Brown, is homophobic. However, these individuals were quickly chastised, claiming that “the joke was never humorous.”
What did Noah think of Will Byers?
Following the publication of the season’s last two episodes, Schnapp revealed in an interview with Variety that Will’s character is homosexual and in love with his closest buddy, Mike, portrayed by Finn Wolfhard. He said, ”
“It was always there, but you never knew whether it was simply him maturing slower than his peers. They made it a very real, evident thing now that he’s older. He is now definitely homosexual, and he adores Mike.”
Fans have been questioning Will’s sexuality since season one, but Noah and the filmmakers have avoided answering directly. Prior to his interview with Variety, and before the publication of Season 4 Part One, the actor claimed that it was up to the audience’s interpretation.
Noah said that he did not want to divulge anything about the last two episodes. Stranger Things will end after season 5, which will center on Will Byers, according to the producers and Netflix. However, manufacturing has yet to begin.