It’s one of those questions the internet keeps circling back to—part genuine curiosity, part fan fixation—and for Noah Schnapp, it arrived long before he was ready to answer. People have been asking about his sexuality since he was a child actor on Stranger Things, and when he finally addressed it publicly in 2023, the moment carried more weight than most celebrity coming-out announcements. What follows is a fact-checked look at Schnapp’s life, his identity, his career, and the public conversation that has surrounded all three.
Age (as of 2024): 20 ·
Instagram followers: 26 million ·
Born: October 3, 2004 ·
Notable role: Will Byers in Stranger Things
Quick snapshot
- Came out as gay on TikTok on January 5, 2023 (People)
- Born October 3, 2004 in New York City (Liputan6)
- Plays Will Byers in Stranger Things (Teen Vogue)
- Exact romantic history — no relationships publicly confirmed (Teen Vogue)
- Precise net worth — estimates vary widely (Teen Vogue)
- Whether his height is 5’7″ or 5’9″ — databases disagree (Cityreporter)
Eight verified details, one clear pattern: Schnapp’s public biography is mostly settled, but the gaps—especially around his personal life—are what drive the search queries. Let’s walk through each.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Noah Cameron Schnapp |
| Date of birth | October 3, 2004 |
| Place of birth | New York City, USA |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Known for | Will Byers in Stranger Things |
| Sexual orientation | Gay (publicly came out 2023) |
| Instagram followers | 26 million |
Is Noah Schnapp LGBTQ?
Yes—and the answer has been public since January 5, 2023, when Schnapp posted a short TikTok video captioned “When I told my friends and family I was gay” with the text overlay “I’m gay, I’m proud of it.” The video was direct, casual, and quickly went viral.
The TikTok caption read: “When I told my friends and family I was gay” and the text overlay stated: “I’m gay, I’m proud of it.”
In an interview with People (2025), Schnapp recalled that journalists had been asking him whether he was gay since he was 12 years old—years before he was ready to answer that question himself. The pressure, he said, made the eventual public announcement feel both freeing and overdue.
Noah Schnapp’s public coming out
- Posted a TikTok video on January 5, 2023 confirming he is gay (Teen Vogue)
- He told Teen Vogue (2023) he had privately come out to his Stranger Things co-star Millie Bobby Brown before the public video
- In the video, he noted that his friends and family had known for a while (Wikipedia (French))
Reactions to his announcement
The response was overwhelmingly supportive across social media, with fans and fellow actors applauding his openness. Several LGBTQ advocacy organizations shared the video, noting that a young actor coming out on his own terms—without a studio press cycle—sent a meaningful signal to teenage audiences.
Schnapp’s coming out was not a reaction to scandal or speculation. It was a declaration of identity that he made before his Stranger Things character’s arc could fuel more public guessing. For young fans in similar closets, the timing and tone offered a concrete example: you can say who you are before the world insists you do.
Is Noah Schnapp Israeli?
No. Schnapp is an American actor born and raised in New York City. His father is of Russian Jewish descent and his mother is of Moroccan Jewish descent, as reported by Moment Magazine. He has described himself as Jewish and has strong cultural and religious ties to Israel, but he does not hold Israeli citizenship.
Noah Schnapp’s nationality
- Born in New York City, New York, USA (Liputan6)
- Holds American citizenship; some secondary sources list him as Canadian-American due to his mother’s background (Wikipedia (Spanish))
- Not an Israeli citizen or resident
His family background
Schnapp’s Jewish identity is well-documented. He reportedly celebrated his bar mitzvah in Israel, according to The Jerusalem Post (2025). In July 2023, he visited Israel and described the experience as “so inspiring” in a post shared by Unpacked. He was spotted wearing religious items associated with observant Jewish practice during that trip (Kveller).
Schnapp’s identity is frequently flattened to a checkbox search query (“Is Noah Schnapp Israeli?”). The more accurate picture: he is an American Jew with Moroccan and Russian roots, who has meaningful personal ties to Israel but holds no dual citizenship there. The distinction matters because fans often assume “Jewish” and “Israeli” are interchangeable, and Schnapp’s case is a reminder they are not.
The trade-off: Schnapp’s public Jewish identity has drawn both support and scrutiny, particularly around his visit to Israel in 2023. For a young actor with a massive Gen Z following, taking a visible stance on his heritage carries professional and personal risks—but he has not backed away from either.
Did Noah Schnapp ever date a boy?
There are no publicly confirmed romantic relationships in Schnapp’s past. He has not shared details about a dating history, and no partner has been identified through his social media or interviews.
Noah Schnapp’s known relationships
- No public relationships confirmed as of 2024 (Teen Vogue)
- He has not posted about a boyfriend or partner on Instagram
- His coming-out video did not reference a current partner
Speculation vs. confirmed facts
Fan speculation about his dating life has been persistent, but none of it has been confirmed by Schnapp or any credible source. The gap between public curiosity and private reality is wide here—and Schnapp has chosen to keep it that way.
The pattern: The distance between public curiosity and private life remains wide, and Schnapp has offered no timeline to bridge it.
Who is LGBT in Stranger Things in real life?
Of the main cast of Stranger Things, Noah Schnapp is the only actor who has publicly come out as gay. Some other cast members have spoken about their identities in broader terms or have been subjects of speculation, but Schnapp’s 2023 TikTok announcement remains the only explicit, public confirmation from a principal cast member.
LGBTQ actors in Stranger Things cast
- Noah Schnapp: publicly came out as gay in January 2023 (Teen Vogue)
- David Harbour (Jim Hopper): has not publicly identified as LGBTQ
- No other principal cast member has made a similar public statement
For context: the show’s fan community long speculated that Schnapp’s character, Will Byers, was written as a gay character—a theory that the Stranger Things writers indirectly confirmed in later seasons. Schnapp himself has said that coming out made him feel “more similar to Will than I thought,” according to Wikipedia (French).
The pattern: Schnapp is the only main cast member to publicly identify as LGBTQ, but his character’s arc on the show intersects with his real identity in a way that made the question inescapable for years. The speculation about Will Byers and the speculation about Noah Schnapp became intertwined, and his coming out untangled that knot—at least for him.
How old is Noah Schnapp?
Schnapp was born on October 3, 2004, making him 20 years old as of 2024 (Cityreporter).
Noah Schnapp’s birth date and age
- Born: October 3, 2004
- Age in 2024: 20
- Zodiac sign: Libra
Quick facts about his early life
Schnapp grew up in New York City and attended elementary school there. His acting debut came in 2015 when he voiced Charlie Brown in The Peanuts Movie (Wikipedia). The following year, he was cast in Stranger Things—a role that defined his adolescence and launched him into global fame before he turned 13.
The catch: Schnapp’s entire public life has unfolded while he was a minor, then a teenager, then a young adult. The questions asked of him—about his sexuality, his religion, his relationships—were asked while he was still growing up. The timeline below puts that into perspective.
Timeline: Noah Schnapp’s life and career
- October 3, 2004 — Born in New York City (Liputan6)
- 2015 — Film debut as Charlie Brown in The Peanuts Movie (Wikipedia)
- 2016 — First season of Stranger Things released, playing Will Byers (Teen Vogue)
- January 2023 — Came out as gay on TikTok (People)
- July 2023 — Visited Israel; described the trip as inspiring (Kveller)
- 2024 — Continues acting and promoting his snack brand TBH
Confirmed facts vs. what’s still unclear
Confirmed facts
- Noah Schnapp is gay — came out January 2023 (People)
- He is American, born in New York City in 2004 (Liputan6)
- He plays Will Byers in Stranger Things (Teen Vogue)
- His father is Russian Jewish, his mother Moroccan Jewish (Moment Magazine)
- He reportedly had a bar mitzvah in Israel (The Jerusalem Post)
- He visited Israel in July 2023 (Kveller)
What’s unclear
- His dating history — no public relationships confirmed
- Exact net worth — estimates range from $3–5 million
- His height — databases list anywhere from 5’7″ to 5’9″
- Post-Stranger Things career trajectory
10 things people ask about Noah Schnapp
What did Noah Schnapp say when he came out?
In a TikTok video posted January 5, 2023, Schnapp wrote: “I’m gay, I’m proud of it.” He said in the video that his friends and family had known for a while (Teen Vogue).
How did Noah Schnapp’s family react to his coming out?
Schnapp has said that his family and close friends knew before the public announcement and were supportive. He noted in his TikTok that they had known “for a while.”
Is Noah Schnapp dating anyone?
As of 2024, Schnapp has not publicly confirmed any romantic relationship. No boyfriend or partner has been identified.
What is Noah Schnapp’s favorite hobby?
Schnapp is known to enjoy cooking and has spoken about launching his snack brand, TBH, which focuses on plant-based protein snacks.
Does Noah Schnapp have siblings?
Schnapp has an older sister named Mia, who has appeared occasionally in his social media content.
What is Noah Schnapp’s education background?
Schnapp attended elementary and middle school in New York City. He has balanced acting with schooling, though specific details about his high school and further education are not public.
How did Noah Schnapp start acting?
He made his professional debut in 2015 as the voice of Charlie Brown in The Peanuts Movie, after which he was cast in Stranger Things in 2016 (Wikipedia).
What other projects has Noah Schnapp worked on besides Stranger Things?
Beyond Stranger Things, Schnapp voiced Charlie Brown in The Peanuts Movie, appeared in Abe (2019), and has focused on his snack brand TBH. He has also done voice work for animated series.
Related reading
- Noah Schnapp biography (Wikipedia)
- Is Noah Schnapp Jewish? (Unpacked)
- Noah Schnapp came out to Millie Bobby Brown first (Teen Vogue)
- Noah Schnapp recalls journalists prying about his sexuality at age 12 (People)
- Noah Schnapp’s Jewish background (Moment Magazine)
Summary
Noah Schnapp’s public identity has been shaped by a unique convergence: a massive TV show, early fame, a Jewish upbringing, and a sexuality that became a public question before he was old enough to answer it. The 2023 coming out closed one chapter, but the public conversation around him has not stopped—it has evolved. For fans and searchers looking for clarity, the record is clear on the essentials: he is gay, he is American, he is Jewish, and he is 20 years old. The gaps—his relationships, his plans, his private life—remain his own. For the follower who wants to know what the internet can confirm versus what it can’t, the choice is whether to respect that boundary or keep searching for answers that don’t exist yet.
Related reading: Noah Schnapp biography · Is Noah Schnapp Jewish?
Harry Thompson is Senior Reporter at PublicReport, covering breaking UK news and political stories across the country.