As Stranger Things gears up for its highly anticipated fifth and final season later this month, actor Noah Schnapp has confirmed that his character Will Byers’ sexuality will be a central storyline.
Schnapp, who has portrayed Will since the show’s debut, revealed during a group interview with GQ—alongside co-stars Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), and Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas)—that Will’s identity will be further explored as the Netflix sci-fi series draws to a close.
The new season will be released in parts: the first four episodes debut on 26 November, followed by three more on Christmas Day, and the finale dropping on New Year’s Eve.
Reflecting on the show’s cultural impact and its effect on him personally, Schnapp said, “Seeing how the world receives Will, and embraces him, has taught me through the years to feel OK in who I am and how I express myself.” Both Schnapp and his character are gay, with Schnapp coming out publicly on TikTok in 2023.
Fans had long speculated about Will’s sexuality, which was subtly confirmed in season four when he expressed his feelings for Mike. Schnapp shared that the show has helped him beyond his role: “Stranger Things didn’t just help find my own identity sexually. As a person, it taught me that it’s OK to be me, as everything that I am. That’s what’s so special about our show and what’s so special about Will. It doesn’t resonate [just] with queer people; it resonates with all people who feel different.”
These comments echo a 2023 interview with Variety, in which Schnapp said, “Once I did fully embrace that Will was gay, it was just an exponential speed towards accepting it for myself.”
While anticipation for the final season remains high, some controversy has surrounded Schnapp, stemming from political backlash. In late 2023, the actor was criticised for appearing with stickers reading “Zionism is sexy” during Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
In response, Schnapp posted a TikTok video in January 2024, addressing the criticism. The now-deleted clip stated, “I feel my thoughts and beliefs have been so far misconstrued from anything even close to what I believe.”
Despite the controversy, Stranger Things remains one of Netflix’s most iconic series, and its final chapter promises to bring emotional depth and closure to long-standing character arcs—including Will’s.
