By David T. Valentin
If it wasn’t painfully, excruciatingly obvious of Will Byers sexuality after the events of Stranger Things Season 4, Noah Schnapp has confirmed it; thus finally putting an to the debate (mostly from straight fans who miss LGBTQ+ subtext even when it’s harshly slapping them in the face).
In an interview with Variety published Thursday, Schanpp said, “Now it’s 100% clear that he is gay and he does love Mike. It was a slow arc. I think it is done beautifully, because it’s so easy to make a character just like all of a sudden be gay.”
Prior to volume two’s release, however, Schnapp mentioned how he enjoyed that Will’s sexuality was open for interpretation, leading some fans to feel as though they wouldn’t get a well-written, well-thought out storyline exploring how Will Byers truly feels different from the rest of his friends.
Despite Schnapp believing Will’s sexuality being open to interpretation, Noah in an obviously subtle way confirmed Will is gay. When a fan asks, Noah which character would he bring back from the dead and why, he said, “Like, I would say Barb but honestly, I’d pick Bob. Because I... he’s just... like, the man. He was so good to Joyce, ugh, I just love him. He would be so good to like if Will wanted to like come out, I feel like he would tell Bob.”
To that, the audience cheered in gleeful shock at Scnapp’s comment, all while he proudly smirked in his seat knowing exactly what he just did.
So, there you have it folks: Will Byers is gay! Now, fingers crossed he gets the screen time and the proper story during Season Five to explore who Will is and who he wants to be all while dealing with the Upside Down leaking in to the real world and his own traumas.