Spoiler alert: This story contains spoilers for Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2, now available on Netflix.
Ever since Stranger Things premiered on Netflix in 2016, it was clear that Noah Schnapp’s Will Byers was different from his friends. Will’s own father derisively called him “queer,” as his mother Joyce (Winona Ryder) tells him early in season one. And while Will had a similar kinship with his friends who played Dungeons & Dragons, biked around town, and were obsessed with the latest pop culture, fantasy, and science phenomena in the show’s 1980s setting, Will disappeared during the first episode, setting the wide-eyed, bowl-cut boy apart from the group.
Despite his friends rescuing him from the Upside Down at the end of the first season, Will grew even more in character as the series continued. While his friends grew up and found girlfriends, he remained outside the group not only from a traumatic kidnapping but also from an elusive sense of isolation. In season 3, Mike (Finn Wolfhard) lashed out at Will for not liking girls, which led to further fan speculation about the character’s sexuality.
A scene in Season 4 in which Will breaks down in tears as he tries to confess his feelings for Mike seems to confirm these speculations, although it’s not explicitly stated. But it’s not until Season 5, Episode 7, “The Bridge,” that Will confesses to his friends, “I don’t like girls.”
The emotional monologue that concludes the series’ penultimate episode is a powerful, moving, and poignant take on Will’s long-awaited coming out. It pays off in Will’s arc toward self-acceptance and confidence. The character has spent much of the series as a victim, but in Season 5 he takes center stage as a hero, and in the Season 4 episode that concluded the first volume, he is revealed to have supernatural powers similar to that of a sorcerer.
These triumphant moments demonstrate Shapp’s growth as an actor over the decade he played Will. The resulting monologue is the most emotionally intense and verbose of Schnapp’s series. This performance is further emphasized by Shap’s real-world connection to the subject, who came out publicly as gay in 2023.
Variety spoke to Schnapp about that standout scene, how he shaped it with series creators Matt and Ross Duffer and director Shawn Levy, and how he feels now that he’s finished his role on Stranger Things, which he played for more than a decade.
Provided by Netflix
When did you find out Will was going to be in Season 5, Episode 7?
You know it’s coming, right? We read the first six episodes of this season together, and we were like, “Okay, it’s not over yet, so it’s going to be episode 7 or 8, which hasn’t been written yet.” So throughout the year, from January when we started shooting, I kept emailing the Duffers, saying, “Are you done yet? Did you write it? Is it like 7 or 8 o’clock? How do you write it?” Eventually they said they had it and I read it by August or September at the end of the year. And I was just crying. It was perfect.
Did you have a chance to workshop the script with the Duffers or with Shawn Levy, who directed “The Bridge” with the Duffers?
I was worried I would need it, but honestly it was perfect. There really wasn’t a note about it.
Do you remember your co-stars’ reactions the first time you rehearsed that scene or read the table? Shawn Levy said the reactions you saw on camera were genuine.
To be honest, I was so wrapped up in my emotions and what I was feeling that I was blocking everyone around me in a way. I had to do it because I was so nervous knowing the whole cast was there watching me. I had Winona next to me and the boys and Maya (Hawke) around me. It was all a blur. I don’t really remember anyone’s reaction, but looking back, I was very happy. It felt authentic.
How many takes did you do for that scene?
Lo and behold, it was endless. It was like he spent 12 hours a day just talking to himself. And even after working 12 hours a day, I still wasn’t done. We came back a week later and reshot certain parts of the scene for another 12 hours. I was like, “Oh my god, how many more times can we do this scene?” However, I am glad that I was able to try many different things. I never felt attached to anything. There were so many lines, more lines than I’ve ever had before, so I asked Maya for advice on how to prepare.
Maya speaks like a madman, so I asked, “How do you memorize all these lines and don’t have to think about them on set?” she said: “It’s not about how well you know it, it’s about how long you’ve known it. That’s why you have to prepare months in advance.” So I repeated that every morning and night for months before shooting, but I never prepared how I would say it or how it would feel. I think you just say the lines out loud without putting any emotion into it and you just get it. But on the day I was able to explore my emotions and feelings and it was fun to play and feel those 12 hours. The cast were very kind. I’ll never forget how supportive they were that day and how much respect they had for me. Because they had to sit there all night just listening to my ramblings. They supported me from every angle that wasn’t shown on camera. They could have gone to the video village and sat or hung out, but they all sat there all day. It was really special.
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Did you shoot a different version of the scene in the 12-hour take than the final cut?
There were so many different choices in different takes. I remember being asked, “Do you do your close-ups first or at the end of the day?” Because that was the most important shot. So I could first explore widely to get a feel for the scene and then move on to close-ups, or I could go directly into the world. I was really struggling with whether I was ready to go all in first or get comfortable before then. I decided at the last minute, “Let’s start with the close-ups. I’m ready, so I’m just going to do it.” And that was like the first take of the day, and that was pretty much the crux of the scene. I was so glad it wasn’t used up yet. It was real and raw, and I’m glad I did it that way.
Were you surprised by the final cut of a scene and how it was edited?
Literally in every scene I’m like, “Oh, I wasn’t expecting that.” They don’t understand the power of editing and how it can change a scene. In this scene, there were moments where I felt more sad in the first paragraph of the monologue to the boys, and then there were moments where I was so happy as I relived my memories with them, so that was good. I’m glad they edited it that way. It’s wonderful to see him not only sobbing throughout the scene, but also smiling through his memories, giving the scene a cheerful atmosphere. It makes you hit harder.
It’s interesting that Will says “I don’t like girls” instead of “I’m gay.” How was that wording decided? Was there a fear of being too explicit, or do you think Will is still figuring out his identity?
Yeah, I noticed that and specifically talked to Mr. and Mrs. Duffer about it. We have to remember that it’s the 1980s. When I came out, I didn’t say the word “gay.” It’s difficult and I’m afraid to say it. I can’t imagine how much pressure there was and how much there was to lose in the ’80s. When Will first embraces the word in front of his friends, he’s probably scared to use it, but there’s nothing wrong with that. I think he felt more comfortable expressing it that way.
Do you think learning that he was a magician gave Will the confidence to embrace his differences? How did discovering Will’s new powers change your approach to the character?
I think that’s helping him accept himself, and you can totally see that from the beginning of the season. He is rather assertive and confident. It’s great to play that side of him instead of just playing someone who’s always walking around. Even in the coming out scene, it was great to have so many conversations and allow this character to actually express himself, something he had never really done before.
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You share many scenes with Winona Ryder. What was it like working closely with the woman who played your son for nearly 10 years on this final season?
It was really special. I was a little sad that we left her in seasons 3 and 4, and I really missed working with her. She’s one of my favorite scene partners and people, and it was such a pleasure to be with her for most of this season. I felt so comfortable with her and it was hard to say goodbye. I never thought I would have such a hard time letting her go on my last day. I didn’t want to let her go and I realized over the last 10 years that she had really become like a mother to me.
You’ve shared a lot of scenes with Maya Hawke this season. What was it like collaborating with her?
It’s definitely getting closer. Until then, I had barely spoken to Maya. I mean, I don’t think we were friends. Now we’ve been together all season and she’s part of my little Stranger Things family.
Finally, this season we were able to collaborate with young actors. For a long time, you and the main ensemble were the youngest on the show. What was it like being on set with new actors who probably looked up to you?
It definitely helped me realize, “Wow, we’ve come this far. We’re not kids anymore.” They’re watching us. I always feel like I don’t know anything and have a lot more to learn, but then I realize that we’ve been here for 10 years and now we have some experience. It was a pleasure working with them and they were so cute. They brought a childlike energy that reminded us that we were still kids. Shaking their hands, I felt like I was 12 years old again. It was a lot of fun.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
• The Duffer Brothers explain all the spoilers for Volume 2
• The Duffer Brothers explain all the spoilers for Volume 1
• Noah Schnapp about the transformation scene in Volume 1 (spoilers)
• Sadie Sink talks about Max’s important role in Volume 1
• Nell Fisher talks about playing Holly Wheeler in Season 5
• “Stranger Things” performers on the show’s final day.
• Variety’s “Stranger Things” Oct. 15 cover story on the Duffers.
• Cara Buono talks about Karen’s kick-ass hero moment (finally)
• “Stranger Things” spin-off Duffer Brothers
• Linda Hamilton says she’s Millie Bobby Brown’s ‘biggest fan’
• Shawn Levy talks about Season 5’s ‘Sticking the Landing’
• David Harbor talks about how ‘Stranger Things’ changed him
