Noah Schnapp: Gay, Relationship, Career After Stranger Things

There’s a rare kind of courage that comes with growing up in the spotlight and then deciding to live your truth on your own terms. Noah Schnapp, best known as Will Byers on Stranger Things, has done exactly that — and his journey from child actor to openly gay entrepreneur is anything but ordinary. He came out via TikTok in January 2023, a moment that resonated with millions and marked a turning point in his career. This article covers his relationship status, his coming out story, his friendship with Millie Bobby Brown, and what he’s doing now after Stranger Things.

Born: October 3, 2004 ·
Age (2025): 20 ·
Instagram followers: 26 million ·
Came out as gay: January 2023 ·
University: University of Pennsylvania (enrolled 2022)

The following table consolidates Noah Schnapp’s basic biographical and professional details.

Is Noah Schnapp in a relationship in real life?

Noah Schnapp has not publicly confirmed a current relationship. After coming out as gay in January 2023, he has stated that he is focused on college and his snack brand TBH (Seventeen).

Has Noah Schnapp ever dated anyone?

• No public dating history has been confirmed.
• He has not been linked to any partner since coming out.

The pattern: Schnapp is keeping his private life close, prioritizing education and entrepreneurship over public romance.

What did he say about dating after coming out?

• In interviews, he expressed that he feels “freer” and more authentic after coming out, but has not mentioned a partner (Yahoo News UK (news outlet)).
• He focuses on his future career and personal growth.

The catch: Without a public confirmation, fans are left guessing — but Schnapp seems content keeping that part of his life offline.

Is Noah LGBTQ in real life?

Yes, Noah Schnapp is openly gay. He came out in a TikTok video on January 5, 2023, writing that he had been “scared in the closet for 18 years” (Seventeen).

How did Noah Schnapp come out?

• He posted a TikTok using a viral audio trend with the line “You know what it never was? That serious.” (Seventeen)
• In the caption, he wrote: “I guess I’m more similar to Will than I thought” — referring to his Stranger Things character.
• He said his friends and family already knew and responded “we know.” (Seventeen)

Why this matters: Schnapp has said that playing Will Byers — a character who is also gay — helped him accept his own sexuality (Variety interview (YouTube)).

What was the reaction from fans and co-stars?

• Millie Bobby Brown publicly supported him on Instagram.
• Finn Wolfhard said he was “incredibly proud” of Schnapp (Seventeen).
• The TikTok received over 1.8 million likes.

The implication: Schnapp’s coming out was met with overwhelming support, reinforcing his decision to live openly.

Why does Noah Schnapp have no movie and TV roles after Stranger Things?

Since the release of Stranger Things season 4 in 2022, Schnapp has not taken major acting roles. He enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania in 2022 and launched a snack brand called TBH in 2023 (Edible Brooklyn).

What is Noah Schnapp doing now?

• He is a full-time student at the University of Pennsylvania.
• He runs the TBH snack brand, which he launched in 2023.
• He also launched a virtual restaurant brand called TenderFix in 2023 (Wikipedia).

The trade-off: Schnapp is prioritizing education and entrepreneurship over Hollywood, a strategic pivot that allows him to build a career outside acting.

Has he quit acting?

• He has not announced a permanent departure from acting.
• He is expected to return for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.
• No future acting projects have been announced.

The pattern: Schnapp is taking a deliberate break from the spotlight, focusing on his personal growth and business ventures.

Similar transitions from child stardom are seen in Dakota Fanning: Tom Cruise Friendship and Life in 2025 and Nolan Gould IQ: Genius Behind Luke Dunphy.

Is Millie Bobby Brown still friends with Noah Schnapp?

Yes, Millie Bobby Brown and Noah Schnapp remain close friends. Brown publicly supported his coming out on Instagram, and they have been seen together at events and in social media posts (Seventeen).

How do Millie and Noah stay connected?

• They share posts on Instagram and attend events together.
• They have been friends since the start of Stranger Things in 2016.
• Brown has publicly defended Schnapp against online criticism.

The implication: Their friendship appears genuine and unaffected by the pressures of fame.

Did they have any public falling out?

• There is no evidence of a rift between them.
• Both have spoken positively about each other in interviews.

The catch: No public disagreements have been reported; they remain one of the most stable friendships from the Stranger Things cast.

Did Noah Schnapp recall being asked if he was gay by journalists at 12?

Yes, Schnapp has recounted how journalists asked him about his sexuality at age 12 during Stranger Things press tours. He felt uncomfortable and confused by the questions (Variety interview (YouTube)).

Why were journalists asking him about his sexuality?

• Because his character Will Byers was rumored to be gay, journalists projected that onto Schnapp.
• He was a child actor, and the questions were inappropriate.

The pattern: This early media experience shaped his later decision to come out on his own terms.

How did he respond at the time?

• He said he was confused and didn’t know how to answer.
• He later reflected that the experience was “uncomfortable” but also helped him understand his own identity.

Why this matters: Schnapp’s openness about this experience highlights the pressure child actors face and the importance of agency in sharing personal stories.

Timeline: Noah Schnapp’s life and career

• October 3, 2004 — Born in Scarsdale, New York (Wikipedia (biography resource)).
• 2015 — Film debut as Charlie Brown in The Peanuts Movie.
• 2016 — First appears as Will Byers in Stranger Things season 1.
• 2017–2022 — Continues role in Stranger Things seasons 2–4.
• 2022 — Enrolls at the University of Pennsylvania (Edible Brooklyn).
• January 5, 2023 — Comes out as gay via TikTok (Seventeen).
• 2023 — Launches TBH snack brand and TenderFix virtual restaurant (Wikipedia).
• 2024–present — Focusing on college and TBH; final season of Stranger Things in production.

The timeline signal: Schnapp’s public coming out in 2023 marked a clear pivot from child actor to adult entrepreneur, with education and business taking center stage.

Clarity: What we know and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Noah Schnapp was born October 3, 2004.
• He is openly gay (came out in 2023).
• He played Will Byers in Stranger Things.
• He enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania.
• He founded TBH snack brand.
• Millie Bobby Brown publicly supported his coming out.

What’s unclear

• Current relationship status (no public partner).
• Future acting roles after Stranger Things.
• Exact net worth (estimates vary).
• Whether he will return to acting after college.
• Whether he will continue his education at UPenn after Stranger Things.
• Whether his snack brand TBH will expand beyond a small business.

Quotes from Noah Schnapp and his co-stars

“I guess I’m more similar to Will than I thought.”

— Noah Schnapp, TikTok caption, January 2023 (Seventeen)

“Being open made [working on Stranger Things] a million times better because I was not hiding.”

— Noah Schnapp, as quoted in Yahoo News UK (Yahoo News UK)

“I’m incredibly proud of him.”

— Finn Wolfhard on Schnapp’s coming out (Seventeen)

For fans watching Noah Schnapp’s journey, the takeaway is clear: he’s building a life beyond the Upside Down, one that prioritizes authenticity over fame. For aspiring child actors, the lesson is that there is no single path — Schnapp chose education, entrepreneurship, and openness, and it’s working for him.

Frequently asked questions