The long-running fan speculation surrounding one of Stranger Things' original characters has finally been put to rest. The hit Netflix sci-fi drama confirmed the sexuality of Will Byers in its final episodes, which premiered globally on Christmas Day.
A Journey of Speculation Comes to an End
Season five, volume two of the series, set in the 1980s, delivered the emotional moment fans had long anticipated. In the episode titled 'The Bridge', Will, portrayed by actor Noah Schnapp, finally admits to his closest friends that he does not like girls. This confession brought to a close a narrative thread that had been woven through the show since its 2016 premiere.
From the first series, hints about Will's identity were present. His mother, Joyce, played by Winona Ryder, recalled how Will's father had called him 'queer'. As his friends in the small town of Hawkins matured, found girlfriends, and moved on from their Dungeons & Dragons days, Will remained an outsider, further isolated by his traumatic abduction into the Upside Down.
Speculation intensified in later seasons, particularly after a confrontation where Mike Wheeler, played by Finn Wolfhard, lashed out at Will for not being interested in girls. A pivotal, tearful scene in season four, where Will struggled to express his feelings to Mike, was seen by many as a quiet confirmation.
Noah Schnapp's Personal Connection to the Scene
The on-screen moment was made profoundly more poignant by the real-life journey of the actor behind the character. Noah Schnapp publicly came out as gay in 2023. In an interview with Variety, the 21-year-old actor opened up about the intense process of filming Will's long-awaited coming out.
Schnapp revealed he was anxiously awaiting the script, constantly texting creators Matt and Ross Duffer throughout the year to ask if the scene had been written. When he finally read it in August or September, he was overwhelmed. 'I was just in tears. It was perfect,' he admitted.
The filming itself was a marathon effort. The emotionally charged monologue took a full 12-hour day to shoot, followed by another 12-hour reshoot a week later to perfect it. Schnapp chose not to over-rehearse the emotions, instead running his lines for months to let the feelings surface naturally when the cameras rolled.
Authenticity and Support on Set
Schnapp praised his cast mates—Gaten Matarazzo, Finn Wolfhard, and Caleb McLaughlin—for their unwavering support. Instead of leaving the set between takes, they remained in position all day, offering a silent, respectful presence he described as 'really special'.
The actor also discussed the deliberate wording of the confession. Will says 'I don't like girls' rather than explicitly stating 'I'm gay'. Schnapp explained this felt more authentic to the 1980s setting and to Will's own tentative understanding of his identity, mirroring his own initial hesitation to use the word 'gay' when he came out.
Reflecting on the final edit, Schnapp expressed gratitude for how the scene balanced raw emotion with lighter, nostalgic flashes, allowing Will to smile with his friends rather than sob throughout. The two-hour series finale, 'The Rightside Up', premiered in select theatres and on Netflix on December 31, bringing the epic story to a close. Both volumes of season five are now available to stream on Netflix.
