Noah Schnapp
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Noah Cameron Schnapp, born October 3rd, 2004, an American actor, is celebrated for his unforgettable portrayal of Will Byers in Netflix's gripping science fiction horror series, Stranger Things. Beyond the Upside Down, Schnapp graced the silver screen with a supporting role in Steven Spielberg's poignant historical drama, Bridge of Spies, in 2015. That same year, he lent his voice to the iconic Charlie Brown in the beloved animated film, The Peanuts Movie.
Born Noah Cameron Schnapp in the bustling heart of New York City, he was raised in Scarsdale, New York, alongside his twin sister. Holding dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship, Schnapp embraced his Jewish heritage, celebrating his bar mitzvah in Israel. His mother, of Moroccan Jewish descent, undoubtedly contributed to the rich tapestry of his background.
The spark of acting ignited at the tender age of 5, after witnessing the magic of a Broadway production of Annie. He honed his craft in school and community plays, and by age 8, his acting teacher recognized his burgeoning talent, suggesting he pursue a professional career. His parents, recognizing his passion, enrolled him in an acting program at Star Kidz in Westchester, where he flourished under the guidance of coach Alyson Isbrandtsen. This mentorship proved pivotal, leading to his introduction to MKS&D Talent Management, a gateway to the professional acting world.
Schnapp's professional journey began with a significant voice role, bringing Charlie Brown to life in the 2015 animated film, The Peanuts Movie. In the same year, he made his memorable film debut in Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies, playing Roger Donovan, the son of the film's protagonist.
However, it was in July 2016 that Schnapp truly broke through, landing the pivotal role of Will Byers in the Netflix phenomenon, Stranger Things. Initially auditioning for the part of Mike Wheeler, fate intervened while he was at a sleepaway camp, leading to his ultimate casting as Will. The news, delivered during one of his limited phone calls home, marked a turning point. By the second season, he was a series regular, captivating audiences with his nuanced performance. In 2022, he shared a significant personal revelation, stating that his character, Will Byers, identified as gay, a storyline that resonated deeply with viewers. Schnapp's portrayal of Will has consistently garnered critical acclaim.
His talents extend beyond Stranger Things. In 2016, he was featured in Panic! at the Disco's music video for "LA Devotee," even joining the band on stage at Madison Square Garden in 2017 to perform the song. In 2018, he delved into a short film called The Circle, set during the Great Depression, playing the son of a street artist. He also contributed to the multigenerational family drama, We Only Know So Much. His voice acting prowess continued in the animated film The Legend of Hallowaiian, where he voiced the character of Kai. Schnapp has also showcased his talent in independent films such as Abe (2019) and Waiting for Anya (2020). In 2020, he joined the cast of the Netflix Halloween comedy, Hubie Halloween, playing Tommy. More recently, in 2022, he joined the cast of the psychological thriller, The Tutor, released in 2023, portraying the troubled teenager Jackson. His voice acting extended to the video game realm as well, reprising his role as Charlie Brown for The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy's Grand Adventure.
Beyond his acting career, Schnapp launched a YouTube channel in 2019, sharing vlogs and lifestyle content for a year and a half. As of June 2022, the channel boasts an impressive 4.2 million subscribers and over 110 million views. In November 2021, he co-founded To Be Honest (TBH), a sustainability-focused snacking company. In 2023, he further expanded his entrepreneurial ventures with TenderFix, a delivery-only virtual restaurant brand operated by IHOP, specializing in chicken tenders. Notably, Schnapp also worked as a lifeguard during his summer breaks before college.
As of 2022, Schnapp is pursuing a degree in entrepreneurship and innovation at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, with an anticipated graduation in 2026. On January 5th, 2023, he publicly came out as gay in a heartfelt TikTok video, expressing his relief and joy at the acceptance he received from family and friends. He humorously noted his similarity to his character, Will Byers, in his caption.
Schnapp has also been vocal in his public support for Israel in the Gaza war, particularly following the October 7th attacks. A video circulating on social media showed him with individuals distributing pro-Israel stickers, which led to some fan backlash and calls for his removal from Stranger Things. In January 2024, he posted a TikTok video advocating for peace and understanding for all sides, clarifying that his views on the war had been misrepresented.
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Noah Cameron Schnapp (born October 3, 2004) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Will Byers in the Netflix science fiction horror series Stranger Things. In addition to his work in television, Schnapp had a supporting role in Steven Spielberg's historical drama Bridge of Spies (2015) and voiced Charlie Brown in the animated film The Peanuts Movie (2015).
== Early life ==
Schnapp was born Noah Cameron Schnapp in New York City to Mitchell and Karine Schnapp (née Perez). He was raised in Scarsdale, New York, along with his twin sister. He holds both U.S. and Canadian citizenship. Schnapp is Jewish and held his bar mitzvah in Israel. His mother is of Moroccan Jewish descent.
Schnapp was inspired to pursue acting at age 5 after seeing the Broadway production of Annie. He performed acting roles in school and community plays. When he was 8, his acting teacher suggested he attempt a professional career. Schnapp's parents registered him for an acting program at Star Kidz in Westchester, where he was guided by coach Alyson Isbrandtsen. It was under her guidance that he was subsequently introduced to MKS&D Talent Management, which opened up avenues for his career.
== Acting career ==
=== Early career and breakthrough ===
Schnapp's professional acting career began when he voiced the lead character, Charlie Brown, in the animated film The Peanuts Movie in 2015. That same year, he made his film debut in the historical drama Bridge of Spies, directed by Steven Spielberg. He played Roger Donovan, the son of character James B. Donovan.
His breakthrough came in July 2016, when he began starring as Will Byers in the Netflix science fiction horror television series Stranger Things. Schnapp initially auditioned for the role of Mike Wheeler, another key character in the series. However, during his time at a sleepaway camp, he was ultimately selected to play Will Byers. The news of his successful casting reached him via one of his limited phone calls home. Schnapp was promoted to series regular for the second season of the series, which premiered on October 27, 2017. In 2022, prior to his own coming out, Schnapp revealed that his character identified as gay. Schnapp's portrayal of Will has earned him critical acclaim.
=== Other roles ===
In 2016, Schnapp was featured in the Panic! at the Disco's music video for their song "LA Devotee". In March 2017, he appeared on stage at Madison Square Garden to perform the song with the band.
In 2018, Schnapp played the son of a street artist in a short film called The Circle, set during the Great Depression. Schnapp also participated in We Only Know So Much (2018), a film that follows a multigenerational family. His voice acting continued in the animated film The Legend of Hallowaiian as the voice of Kai.
Schnapp also starred in independent films like Abe (2019) and Waiting for Anya (2020).
Schnapp appeared in the 2020 Halloween comedy Hubie Halloween, a Netflix film where he played a character named Tommy. In April 2022, Schnapp joined the cast of The Tutor. The psychological thriller was released in 2023 and featured Schnapp as Jackson, a troubled teenager.
Schnapp also voiced the character of Charlie Brown for the video game The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy's Grand Adventure.
== Other ventures ==
In 2019, Schnapp launched a YouTube channel under his own name. Active for a year and a half, he primarily created vlogs and lifestyle videos. As of June 2022, the channel has 4.2 million subscribers and has gained 110 million views.
In November 2021, he launched To Be Honest (TBH), a sustainability-focused snacking company he co-founded with Elena Guberman and Ba Minuzzi. In November 2022, Schnapp announced a crowdfunding campaign for this venture on the Republic platform that aimed to raise a maximum amount of $1.235 million at a $15 million valuation cap. In 2023, he launched TenderFix, a delivery-only virtual restaurant brand operated by IHOP with a menu of chicken tenders.
Schnapp also worked as a lifeguard, a job he took on during his summer break before college.
== Personal life ==
As of 2022, Schnapp attends the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in entrepreneurship and innovation. He is scheduled to graduate in 2026.
Schnapp publicly came out as gay in a video posted to his TikTok account on January 5, 2023. The video saw him express relief that family and friends had accepted his coming out, and he quipped in the video's caption, "I guess I'm more similar to Will [Byers] than I thought", a reference to his statement about his Stranger Things character also being gay.
Schnapp has publicly supported Israel in the Gaza war following the October 7 attacks. A month after the attacks, a video circulated on social media showing him sitting with people who were handing out "Zionism is sexy" and "Hamas is ISIS" stickers, leading some fans to demand his removal from the cast of Stranger Things and to threaten to boycott the show's fifth and final season. In January 2024, he posted a TikTok video advocating for peace for both sides and asking for understanding and compassion, stating that his thoughts and beliefs on the war had been misconstrued.
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
=== Television ===
=== Music videos ===
== Awards and nominations ==
== References ==
== External links ==
Noah Schnapp at IMDb
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