He said it, he actually said it. Will, surrounded by friends, family, and chosen family, opened up and told them he is gay.
With so much buildup over the years, it’s hard to imagine that the reality could possibly live up to the expectation, but the Duffer brothers and actor Noah Schnapp pulled off a coup and delivered one of the most moving and cathartic coming-out scenes in recent memory.
In part, this scene was so impactful because it was also one of the rare instances of the whole cast being in one place. The Hawkins crew had all come together to marshal their forces for one last battle against Vecna, and Will realizes that if they have any shot at defeating their foe, he would have to disarm the one bomb their enemy held over the young closeted kid. So he gathered them around him and proceeded to share, with equal parts fear and hope, that he is the same Will they have always known, and that he is just like them, except for one thing: He’s gay.
Noah Schapp and Maya Hawke in 'Stranger Things'
Netflix
The reaction from his friends and family is everything we had hoped: some were shocked, some less so, but all met the news with compassion, love, and acceptance.
If it was emotional for audiences, it was only more so for Schnapp, the out actor tells PRIDE. “It’s one of the most emotional [scenes], if not the most, I've ever had on the show,” he recalls, adding how meaningful it was to have the cast around him for that moment. “And the fact that the entire cast was there, and it wasn't just a Will and Joy scene, was all the more emotional, because I'd never had the chance to sit down with them and really tell them personally what my truth is.”
But it wasn’t just the people in the room on Schnapp’s mind, but the fans—queer fans in particular—who he didn’t want to let down. “It was a lot of pressure because you want to get it right for all these people out there who are struggling with those same self-identity issues. I wanted it to be perfect, so I prepared for it more than I ever have for a scene.”
Noah Schapp in 'Stranger Things'
Netflix
The work paid off. The scene is triumphant and meaningful for so many; both those who identify with Will, or perhaps have a Will in their lives.
It was emotional for Schnapp, too. “It was cathartic to get to do that with the cast. And after the scene, the day wrapped and they cut, and it just became real tears. I was crying, hugging Charlie [Heaton], and it just all felt so real.”
Will defeated his inner demons and fears; now he just has one left: Vecna. How will it turn out? We’ll have to wait until the final episode debuts December 31.
The Hunting WivesNetflix
From left: lesbian sports power couples Rafaelle Souza and Halie Mace; DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith; Lena Oberdorf and Natalia Padilla-Bidas.Meg Oliphant/Getty Images; Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Footage still via Instagram @halie_mace
