Stranger Things Star Noah Schnapp Says His Thoughts On Israel-Hamas War 'Misconstrued'

Noah Schnapp, the 19-year-old actor famed for his role as Will Byers in Stranger Things, reportedly took to TikTok late on Monday night in a bid to address the social media flak surrounding his thoughts on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. In his video, Schnapp expressed concern that his “beliefs have been so far misconstrued,” emphasising the need to set the record straight. Opening up about his feelings, Schnapp shared, “I feel like my thoughts and beliefs have been so far misconstrued from anything even close to what I believe, and I wanted to just state from my heart how I feel.”

The actor also shared his desire for peace, safety, and security for all saying, “I only want peace and safety and security for all innocent people affected by this conflict,” reported Entertainment Weekly.

Schnapp further revealed the impact of open discussions with friends from a Palestinian background, highlighting the significance of these conversations and the valuable insights gained. He emphasised a shared hope among those involved for the safe return of innocent people held in Gaza and a collective yearning for an end to the heartbreaking loss of lives, particularly affecting women and children on both sides of the conflict.

Addressing the broader human perspective, Schnapp stated, “I stand against any killing of any innocent people, and I hope you guys all do, too.”

“I hope for 2024 online to see people be a little more understanding and compassionate and recognise that we’re all human, regardless of our race, of our ethnicity, of our background, of our country of birth, even our sexuality, of anything. We are all human and we’re all the same and we should all love each other for that and support each other and stand together,” he reportedly added in his video.

The controversy swirled around the young actor for two major reasons. Last year, he faced backlash after social media users accused him of liking a post that mocked Palestinians and he also featured in a clip with stickers reading “Zionism is sexy.” Consequently, calls for a boycott of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things or for Schnapp’s removal from his role as Will Byers emerged online.

As of now, there has been no official communication or statement regarding any cast changes, for this reason, or otherwise, in the popular Netflix horror drama.