When Stranger Things 5 finally premieres in 2025, it will be almost a full decade since the Netflix smash first blew up the streaming world in 2016. So much has changed in between the show’s first and last seasons, not least of all the young cast themselves. The rise of their acting careers versus the increasingly divisive online discourse surrounding some of them makes the Hawkins gang the perfect case study for the whole of celebrity culture in a microcosm.
For instance, Noah Schnapp was once known as that sweet kid with the bowl cut, thanks to his instantly impactful role as Will Byers in ST1, but these days he’s a much more controversial figure than anyone could have predicted eight years ago. So much so that fans wonder if Netflix is even taking steps to minimize Schnapp’s involvement with the series, or at least its promotion, in the run-up to its much-anticipated climactic season.
As part of the streamer’s Geeked Week celebrations, Netflix released a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at Stranger Things 5 in which two lucky fans, Amy and Elicia, were given the chance to have some on-set fun with three of the show’s stars. Namely, Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), and Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson). And yet Schnapp was conspicuous for his absence, given that he is the fourth member of the boys’ friendship group on screen.
Social media was unsurprisingly all over Schnapp doing his best impression of his own character and pulling a vanishing act into the Upside Down. Clearly, there were a lot of people out there who found the development entertaining, as they couldn’t help but celebrate it on X.
For those who may be wondering — yes, Schnapp definitely is still part of the series, despite past calls for him to be fired by Netflix.
Those who aren’t necessarily plugged into the Stranger Things off-screen drama would be forgiven for having no idea why the internet seems to have turned against Noah Schnapp. Well, for starters, the 19-year-old actor is known for saying things online that he probably shouldn’t — like spoiling the fact that Doja Cat told him she had a big crush on his co-star Joseph Quinn (although that turned out well in the end).
More specifically — and, for many people, much more heinously — Schnapp has never been shy about weighing in on the Israel-Palestine conflict and sharing his unfiltered personal opinions. In 2023, he posted a video of himself handing out and displaying homemade stickers reading “Zionism is sexy” in public places. The actor has since apologized for his actions, but some are maintaining that they still intend to boycott the final season because of him.
“I feel like my thoughts and beliefs have been so far misconstrued from anything even close to what I believe,” Schnapp said in his apology video. “I only want peace and safety and security for all innocent people affected by this conflict.” The issue with his statement, for his dissenters, was the timing of it. Schnapp happened to post the video a week after Stranger Things 5 began filming, leaving many to assume it was simply a PR move rather than a genuine apology.
We won’t know if Noah Schnapp’s role in Stranger Things‘ final season has been reduced in any way until we see it, but here’s one possible scenario: what if he wasn’t available to make this behind-the-scenes video because he was too busy shooting a major scene and Will actually does have a key part to play?