Stranger Things’ Noah Schapp confirms Will is gay and in love with his best friend: ‘It’s obvious’
Will (Noah Schnapp) almost confessed his love for Mike (Finn Wolfhard) in Stranger Things season four. (Netflix)
Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp has confirmed his character Will Byers is gay and is in love with Mike in an interview.
Talking to Variety, the actor said that “it’s pretty clear this season that Will has feelings for Mike”, and explained how the signs of Will’s sexuality have “always been there”.
“Obviously, it was hinted at in season one,” Schnapp said. “It was always kind of there, but you never really knew, is it just him growing up slower than his friends? Now that he’s gotten older, they made it a very real, obvious thing.”
Fans have been theorising about Will’s sexuality for some time, with season four revealing more hints that the character might be queer.
Several fans have pointed to a scene where he opens up to his friends during a car ride as the ultimate indicator of his queerness.
In the scene, Mike admits to his fears that Eleven may not love him anymore, to which Will replies: “When you’re different, sometimes you feel like a mistake. But you make her feel like she’s not a mistake at all. Like she’s better for being different and that gives her the courage to fight on.”
It’s one of Schnapp’s personal favourites of the season. He said he “was bawling” during the scene’s production, but noted that the final cut was more subtle than he had anticipated.
“I liked how they edited it together,” he said. “The day was a lot of fun. I love just playing with Will. This scene was really important for him, because it really solidified the truth, that he loves his best friend and he doesn’t know how to tell him.”
MAY 14: Millie Bobby Brown attends Netflix’s “Stranger Things” Season 4 New York Premiere at Netflix Brooklyn on May 14, 2022 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
In an earlier interview, Millie Bobby Brown addressed the speculation, saying that it’s “OK not to know.”
“I think what’s really nice about Will’s character is that he’s just a human being going through his own personal demons and issues,” she told Variety. “So many kids out there don’t know, and that’s OK. That’s OK to not know. And that’s OK not to label things.”
Similar speculation arose after season three was released, with Schnapp addressing them to The Hollywood Reporter, saying: “There’s nothing set in stone. It’s kind of up to the audience, and I think the Duffers did that on purpose.”
