Noah Schnapp (‘Stranger Things’): “Will Byers is gay and in love with Mike”

Will Byers hasn’t had it easy during the path traveled in the 4 seasons of ‘Stranger Things’. First was kidnapped in the Upside Down World by a demonic entity (the Demogorgon)later it was possessed by the terrifying Mind Flayerlater saw how his friends ignored him when the hormones kicked in in their teens, and now, in ‘Stranger Things’ season 4, has suffered in silence for his sexuality and his feelings.

Although it seemed pretty apparent that Will had feelings for Mike (his brother Jonathan is the only one who seems to notice in the series), actor Noah Schnapp had not wanted to confirm the sexual orientation of his character, giving evasive answers when questioned on the subject. Until now.

Schnapp has revealed to VarietyFor the first time Will is indeed gay, and that he is in love with his friend Mike (Finn Wolfhard)..

“Let’s see, It’s pretty clear this season that Will has feelings for Mike.. They’ve been intentionally bringing that out in the last couple of seasons. Even in Season 1, they hinted at that and little by little that story grew. For season 4, I played this character that loves his best friend but struggles to know if they will accept him or not, and it feels like a mistake and like you don’t belong in the group. Will has always felt this way. All of his friends, they all have girlfriends, and they all fit into his different clubs. Will has never really found a place to fit in. I think that’s why so many people come up to me and say they love Will and identify with him so much, because he’s such a real character.”

Will has one of the most emotional moments at the end of ‘Stranger Things’ season 4 when talking to his brother Jonathan (Charlie Heaton)in ua conversation in which he offers his unconditional support without clearly mentioning the matter, but implying that he has understood what is happening to his brother. Schnapp claims that the scene was not originally in the Duffer Brothers’ script.

“The conversation came up after I did the scene where I’m crying in the truck, with Jonathan looking in the rearview mirror and realizing everything. They said, ‘we need a scene with that.’ So they wrote it while we were shooting. Also It’s very important that people see that Will is not alone, because all we see of him is struggling and feeling depressed and that he can’t be himself.. Jonathan is talking to him in code: it’s the perfect way to tell someone like Will that he cares about him and that accept it no matter what. I think it was really healthy.”

The 17-year-old actor (check here the age of the actors and their characters in ‘Stranger Things’) has grown up with his character, and the challenge of interpreting it has been combined with that of discovering himself at the same time that he discovered where Will was going. Schnapp describes the journey as follows:

“It’s been a challenge, but I think it’s been fun to be able to put myself in his shoes. Because I really have to keep in mind, it’s not a one-layer thing fighting to get out. This multifaceted trauma goes back years, first it was the Demogorgon and then his friends abandoned him, they never recognized him, and now he’s afraid to go out and he doesn’t know if they’ll take him in. And then there’s Eleven, who is like his sister, but he doesn’t want to hurt her because if she says she likes Mike, it will hurt her feelings. There are all these things running through her mind. So I just have to make sure I convey the depth of all her traumas.”

Will is sure to be a major mainstay in ‘Stranger Things’ season 5, and his fans hope that he finally finds his place and achieves the trust he deserves.