Stranger Things: Noah Schnapp says Will is gay and in love with Mike, the boyfriend from Eleven

In the Netflix series, strange thingsto Will, the character he plays Noah GrappaIt all happened to him over the years: he was kidnapped by the Upside Down, then possessed by a demonic entity and, perhaps worst of all, apparently dumped by his best friends when they started dating.

However, Will has never dated girls and during the fourth season just wrapped, he struggled to explain it to his best friend, Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Why. It seemed clear that Will was gay but he doesn’t dare express it. Recently, in another interview, Schnapp had stated that Will’s sexuality depended “on the interpretation of the audience”.

However, now that the fourth season has concluded, the 17-year-old actor sheds light, in a new interview with Variety who, at that moment, felt compelled to dodge the question to avoid revealing too much about the emotions Will was experiencing in the last two episodes of the season.

“This has been a different season for Will,” noted the actor. “I was used to interpreting it in relation to supernatural aspects and darker things, but not more personal ones. It was something new, I had to explore it by navigating his personal identity issues and struggling to grow and assimilate into high school.”

In that emotional world, Schnapp describes: “It’s pretty clear that Will has feelings for Mike. Even in the first season they hinted at that and little by little that story has grown. Will loves his best friend, but struggles to know if they will. accept it or not. no, and it doesn’t seem to belong to them.

Around Will, all of his friends have a girlfriend and they all fit into their different clubs. “But he’s never found a place to fit in. I think that’s why so many people come to me and say they love Will, he’s such a real character,” says the actor.

For many fans of the series, Mike is not as good with Will as he could be, considering these feelings of his friend. “Mike has to do with his stuff. He’s got all eyes on Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and Will has to do with jealousy there, “he explains.

Schnapp says he is eager to see how that bond continues into next season, season five, to understand how this story of love and friendship will end.

A photo of Will crying through the truck window has become a meme. And the actor reflects on it. “It’s great, and honestly, it’s really cool to get that accolade for that scene. It’s just a small gesture, but it’s great that people loved it.”

The actor is very clear on the impact his character development can have on audiences. “It’s very important for people to see that Will isn’t alone, because all we see of him is fighting and feeling down and that he can’t be himself,” he says.

She explains, “That’s why, when Jonathan talks to him in code: it’s the perfect way to tell someone like Will that he cares about him and accepts him anyway. I think that’s really healthy.”

Of his character’s growth over the seasons, Schnapp says, “The theme of his sexuality has always been around, but now that he’s mature they’ve made it very real and obvious. Now it’s 100% clear that he’s gay and loves Mike. But before, it was was a slow arc. I think it’s very well done. “

The fact that the actor is the same age as his character was a big challenge for him when he was playing Will. “It was complicated. In the first season, I didn’t know where the Duffers (the brothers on the show) wanted to go with this character. So I was trying to figure it out with the audience.”

However, Schnapp shows maturity when he says that “it’s all just part of the acting challenge. And it was also fun to be able to put myself in Will’s shoes. Because assuming he’s gay is only one aspect,” he says.

Active on social media

According to the actor, Will’s trauma goes back years, because his friends never recognized him. “Also, Eleven is like her sister, and he doesn’t want to hurt her because if she says she likes Mike, it will hurt her feelings. This is all going through her mind. So I just have to make sure I convey the depth of all her trauma.”

Still a teenager, Schnapp, like his fellow cast members, are very active on social media and their fans know a lot about their lives. “It’s fun, I’m very active on networks and I love it. Networks are a great way to connect with them and, even if they sometimes know everything about me, that’s okay. My fans are amazing, super protective. They are always taking care of me, it’s like a family. “

As for his expectations for Season 5, Schnapp teases: “The Duffers say next season they will focus more on Will and build that story. I think it’s super exciting. There are so many different things that they have to deal with. I want to go through that. just see that everything fits together and everything works. So I can’t wait to see what happens. “

The actor says what he likes best is acting. “I love putting myself in the shoes of any character, so I’ll never leave this movie. But it’s fun to explore different things. I’d love to direct, produce, write, be an entrepreneur and do all these different things.”

With a lot ahead of him, he adds, “It’s nice, as an actor, to be complete and to know all these different things, because in the end you’re playing all these different characters and you have to figure out where it’s coming from. If I’m not busy, I’m miserable.”

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