Several Stranger Things actors have spoken publicly about being LGBTQ+, but only a few have clearly confirmed their sexuality in real life. Anything beyond what they have personally shared would be speculation and should be treated as such.

Confirmed in real life

These are cast members who have themselves talked publicly about being gay or queer:

  • Noah Schnapp (Will Byers)
    • Noah Schnapp came out as gay in January 2023, in a social media post where he said he was more similar to Will than he thought.
* In later interviews, he explained that playing Will’s journey helped him accept his own sexuality and that he likely would have stayed closeted longer without the role.

At the time of the latest reports, Noah Schnapp is the primary Stranger Things main-cast actor who has clearly and directly identified as gay in real life.

What about the others?

A lot of online discussion mixes up characters being gay with the actors being gay:

  • Characters like Will Byers and Robin Buckley are confirmed queer in the show, which leads many fans to assume the actors must be LGBTQ+ too, but that is not something they have all stated publicly.
  • Some supporting actors and fan forums share “headcanons” or guesses about sexuality, but these are fan opinions and not confirmed facts.

Why there’s so much confusion

  • The show features multiple queer storylines, especially with Will and Robin, so fans often debate who is gay both in the story and in real life.
  • Media and fans have sometimes pushed young actors with invasive questions about their sexuality, which Noah Schnapp has described as scary and uncomfortable when he was a young teen.

Respecting privacy

  • An actor’s sexuality is personal, and it is only “official” when that person chooses to talk about it publicly.
  • So far, the safely factual answer to “who is gay in Stranger Things in real life?” is: Noah Schnapp is openly gay , and anything else is rumor or unconfirmed speculation.

Note: This information comes from public interviews, news coverage, and fan discussions available online.