In the fourth season of Stranger Things, we saw everything: a new villain named Vecna, who is defeated by “Running Up That Hill” or any song you love, new characters like Eddie Munson and Argyle, and the revival of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets.” In parallel to the fast-paced events of Stranger Things 4, we also got a glimpse into the emotional life of Will Byers. Many speculated that Will is gay from certain details fans noticed in this and previous seasons. Now, however, we can say it’s official: Noah Schnapp says his character is indeed gay and in love with Mike.
When Schnapp was asked about Will’s feelings towards Mike, before the premiere of Season 4 Volume 2, the actor responded that the character’s sexual orientation was subject “to the audience’s interpretation.” However, now that the second part premiered and left us with a cliffhanger as a preamble to the series finale, Schnapp clarified things. This is what he said in an interview with Variety:
“It was always there, but we never really knew. Maybe it was him growing up slower than his friends? Now that he’s older they made it very real and very obvious. Now it’s 100% clear that he’s gay and loves Mike. But before that, it was a very slow arc. I think it’s done beautifully because it’s so easy to turn a character gay out of nowhere.”
The actor says that Will’s sexual orientation was not something that the screenwriters suddenly came up with, but that there were some clues since the first season of the Netflix series. And while many fans thought it was just the fact that he was growing up “slower” than his group of friends, we now know the reasons why:
“It’s pretty clear this season that Will has feelings for Mike. They’ve intentionally hinted at it over the last few seasons. Even in the first season, they gave some hints and slowly developed that storyline. I think for season four it was just me, playing this character who loves his best friend but doesn’t know if he’s going to be accepted or not, and it feels like a mistake and like he doesn’t belong. Will has always felt that way. All of his friends have girlfriends, and they all fit into different groups. Will has never found anywhere he fits in. I think that’s why a lot of people tell me they love Will and identify with him because he’s such a real character.”
Story originally published in Spanish in Cultura Colectiva
