Stranger Things’ Noah Schnapp showered with love by stars, celebs and fans after coming out as gay
Noah Schnapp, who plays Will on Stranger Things. (Netflix/Getty)
Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp has been welcomed into the LGBTQ+ community with open arms after coming out as gay.
Fans and celebrities have shared their love for the actor after he came out as gay in a TikTok video on Thursday night (5 January).
“When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being in the closet for 18 years and all they said was ‘we know,” he captioned the video.
Noah Schnapp’s TikTok video has already gained almost seven and a half million likes.
Stranger Things co-star Amybeth McNulty, who played a love interest for Robin (Maya Hawke) in season four, commented: “Ugh I love you.”
Gay Glee actor Kevin McHale simply wrote: “Proud of you”, while Disney star Skai Jackson simply added: “Period”.
When Netflix themselves commented with three heart emojis, Schnapp replied: “Love you”.
Some of TikTok’s biggest LGBTQ+ users also shared their enthusiasm, with Spencer Hunt, known as Spencewuah, commenting: “AND WE’RE TAKING YOU IN WITH OPEN ARMS!!!”
Over on Twitter fans shared their excitement and pride that Schnapps felt “comfortable enough” to come out to the world.
Many were loving the way he decided to break the news – he paired his announcement with the viral TikTok sound which goes: “You know what, it never was that serious, it was never that serious, quite frankly, will never be that serious.”
“Noah Schnapp coming out on TikTok using an unserious audio with a funny unironic caption is such a Gen Z thing to do I love him DEARLY,” one fan joked.
Ohers are praising the “extra layer” his queerness brings to his Stranger Things character Will Byers.
The series heavily suggested Will is gay in season four, something Schnapp has addressed in interviews.
Speaking to People he said: “Obviously, it was hinted at in season one. 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.”
“Truly I could not be more happy that Noah Schnapp plays Will Byers. Having a queer teenager represented and advocated for by a queer actor feels incredible,” one fan wrote.
Another added: “I am SO happy that a gay person is playing a canon gay character in one of the biggest tv shows in the world like this a textbook definition of representation of queers in media.”
Many have shared their hopes that going on Will’s journey has been a source of help for Schnapp.
The wave of support has also come with the resurgence of an age-old, baseless meme about Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown being homophobic, which drove her to deactivate her Twitter.
Brown has been vocal in her support of LGBTQ+ rights, and many are condemning the suggestion otherwise, especially considering Schnapp and Brown are self-proclaimed best friends.
Mainly people are just very, very happy for him.
Stranger Things season one to four are now streaming on Netflix.
