Noah Schnapp

• 1. Introduction

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  Noah Schnapp's professional career began with a cartoon voice. In 2015, he gave the lead voice to Charlie Brown in the animated film The Peanuts Movie. That same year, he also won a part in a film directed by Steven Spielberg. A New York boy with a twin sister and a love of Broadway had suddenly become a working actor. How did that happen so quickly? What did the years afterward hold for someone who grew up on screen? And what did he build and face outside of acting? These questions run through the life of an actor who later graduated from the Wharton School.

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• 2. Scarsdale Beginnings

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  Noah Cameron Schnapp was born on the 3rd of October 2004 in New York City. His parents, Mitchell and Karine Schnapp, were both originally from Montreal. His mother's maiden name was Perez. He was raised in Scarsdale, New York, together with his twin sister, Chloe. He holds both U.S. and Canadian citizenship.

  Faith and family heritage shaped his childhood. Schnapp is Jewish, and he held his bar mitzvah in Israel. His mother is of Moroccan Jewish descent.

  At age 5, a Broadway production of Annie inspired him to pursue acting. He then took roles in school plays and community plays. When he was 8, his acting teacher suggested that he try a professional career. His parents registered him for an acting program at Star Kidz in Westchester. There, a coach named Alyson Isbrandtsen guided him.

  It was under her guidance that he was introduced to MKS&D Talent Management. That agency opened avenues for his career. The first screen work that followed would put him in front of one of Hollywood's best-known directors.

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• 3. Spielberg and the Big Screen

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  In Bridge of Spies, a historical drama directed by Steven Spielberg, Schnapp played Roger Donovan. Roger is the son of the character James B. Donovan. The part marked his film debut.

  He did not leave Charlie Brown behind. Schnapp voiced the character again in the video game The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy's Grand Adventure. In 2021, he appeared as himself in the documentary Who Are You, Charlie Brown?

  In 2018, his film work took several different shapes. The short film The Circle, set during the Great Depression, cast him as Lucas, the son of a street artist. In We Only Know So Much, a film that follows a multigenerational family, he played Otis Copeland. He also voiced Kai in the animated film The Legend of Hallowaiian.

  Independent films came next. He starred in Abe in 2019 and played Jo in Waiting for Anya in 2020. That same year, he appeared in Hubie Halloween, a Netflix Halloween comedy, as a character named Tommy.

  In April 2022, Schnapp joined the cast of the psychological thriller The Tutor as Jackson, a troubled teenager. The film arrived in 2023 and is the most recent feature in his filmography.

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• 4. Life as Will Byers

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  His breakthrough came in July 2016, when Netflix began airing Stranger Things, a science fiction horror series. Schnapp starred as Will Byers. He had actually auditioned for the role of Mike Wheeler, another key character. The producers chose him to play Will instead.

  His place in the cast grew over time. In the first season, the role was recurring. The second season premiered on the 27th of October 2017, and Schnapp was promoted to series regular for it. He then remained a main cast member through season 5, and the series ended in 2025. Critics praised his portrayal of Will.

  Awards followed the show. The Screen Actors Guild Awards category for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series lists the show for 2017-2018 and 2020. At the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards, he is listed for Best Frightened Performance, and the cast for Best On-Screen Team. The Young Artist Awards in 2017 listed him for Best Performance in a Digital TV Series or Film, Young Actor. Teen Choice Awards in 2019 listed him for Choice Summer TV Actor.

  Later honors include a People's Choice Award listing for Male TV Star of 2022. In 2026, he is listed for a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series and for the Critics Choice LGBTQ+ Awards Breakthrough Performance Award. The final season would also bring him a very different kind of attention.

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• 5. Music Videos and Cameos

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  In 2016, Panic! at the Disco featured Schnapp in the music video for their song "LA Devotee". In March 2017, he performed on stage with the band at Madison Square Garden. It was an early sign that his visibility reached beyond acting.

  Television appearances soon piled up. In 2017, he took part in Lip Sync Battle, in the episode titled "The Cast of Stranger Things". In 2018, he played Evan and Trevor across two episodes of Liza on Demand.

  Music videos continued. In 2018, he appeared in Drake's "In My Feelings". In 2020, he appeared in "See You" by Johnny Orlando.

  In 2021, the Shark Week TV special Stranger Sharks had him appear as himself.

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• 6. Creator and Founder

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  In 2019, Schnapp launched a YouTube channel under his own name. It stayed active for a year and a half. He mostly made vlogs and lifestyle videos. As of June 2022, the channel had 4.2 million subscribers and 110 million views.

  In November 2021, he launched To Be Honest, known as TBH, a sustainability-focused snacking company. He co-founded it with Elena Guberman and Ba Minuzzi. In November 2022, he announced a crowdfunding campaign for the venture on the Republic platform. The campaign aimed to raise a maximum of $1.235 million at a $15 million valuation cap.

  In 2023, he launched TenderFix, a delivery-only virtual restaurant brand with a menu of chicken tenders. IHOP operates the brand.

  Not every job was glamorous. During his summer break before college, Schnapp also worked as a lifeguard.

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• 7. College and Coming Out

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  Schnapp attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in entrepreneurship and innovation. He graduated in 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in cinema and media studies.

  In 2022, he confirmed that his Stranger Things character is gay. On the 5th of January 2023, he went further and publicly came out as gay in a video on his TikTok account. In the video, he expressed relief that family and friends had accepted his coming out. His caption joked, "I guess I'm more similar to Will Byers than I thought". The Queerty Awards in 2023 listed him in the Closet Door Bustdown category.

  Friendship also appears in his personal life. Millie Bobby Brown, his Stranger Things co-star, and her husband Jake Bongiovi have an adopted child. Schnapp is that child's godparent.

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• 8. The Gaza War Backlash

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  When the Gaza war began, Schnapp publicly condemned the October 7 attacks. He also condemned those celebrating them. A month after the attacks, a video circulated on social media that showed him sitting with people handing out stickers. The stickers read "Zionism is sexy" and "Hamas is ISIS".

  The video set off a reaction among fans. Some demanded his removal from the cast of Stranger Things. Others threatened to boycott the show's fifth and final season.

  In January 2024, Schnapp responded with a TikTok video. He advocated for "peace for both sides" and asked for "understanding and compassion". He stated that his thoughts and beliefs on the war had been misconstrued. The season at the center of the boycott threats closed a series that ran until 2025.

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