Noah Schnapp has said he “probably would still be closeted” if he didn’t play Will Byers in Stranger Things.
The actor, who confirmed his Stranger Things character is gay last year, explained how portraying Will helped him process his own sexuality.
“Once I did fully embrace that Will was gay, it was just an exponential speed towards accepting it for myself,” Schnapp said in an interview with Variety. “I would be in a completely different place if I didn’t have Will to portray, and to embrace and help me accept myself.
“I think if I never played that character, I probably would be still be closeted.”
The actor said the positive reaction to Will’s sexuality helped him overcome concerns about coming out himself. “It kind of blew up in the press,” He added. “And everyone was like, ‘Oh, Will’s gay! Hooray!’
“I saw all these comments on Instagram and TikTok. There was not one bad thing about him being gay. I was like, if he has all this support, then why should I worry about anything?”
Schnapp went public with his sexuality in January, sharing a TikTok video with the caption: “I guess I’m more similar to Will than I thought.”
In the video, he added: “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’.”
Speaking about the reaction, Schnapp added: “When I opened my phone at the end of the car ride, it was, like, a thousand texts of hearts and congratulations and rainbow flags. I was crying. I was like, ‘I made it. I’m done. I don’t have to worry.’”
Production was paused on the fifth and final season of Stranger Things in May due to the ongoing Hollywood strikes. “Writing does not stop when filming begins,” creators Matt and Ross Duffer said in a statement.
“While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then – over and out.”
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