‘Stranger Things’ Star Noah Schnapp Comes Out as Gay

Noah Schnapp, best known for playing closeted gay teenager Will Byers on Netflix’s Stanger Things, has officially come out as gay.

The 18-year-old actor made the announcement Thursday on TikTok with a video of himself and text that reads, “When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being scared in the closet for 18 years and all they said was ‘we know.'” 

In the video caption, Schnapp wrote, “I guess I’m more similar to Will than I thought.”

https://www.tiktok.com/@noahschnapp/video/7185289110133820715?embed_source=121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_masking&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&refer=embed&referer_url=variety.com%2F2023%2Ftv%2Fnews%2Fnoah-schnapp-comes-out-gay-stranger-things-1235480244%2F&referer_video_id=7185289110133820715

There has been fan speculation over the years that Schnapp’s Stanger Things character is gay, but he has always deflected questions, noting instead that Will’s sexual identity was still “up to the audience’s participation.” In July, following the debut of the final two episodes of the series’ fourth season, Schnapp confirmed to Variety for the first time that Will is in fact gay and in love with his best friend Mike (Finn Wolfhard).

“It was always kind of there, but you never really knew,” he said. “Is it just him growing up slower than his friends? Now that he’s gotten older, they made it a very real, obvious thing. Now it’s 100 percent clear that he is gay and he does love Mike.”

Schnapp added that he isn’t sure what Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer have in mind for Will, but once he does, he certainly does not want to reveal any spoilers. There are currently no details about the upcoming fifth and final season.